NORTHERN IRELAND

Criminal Justice

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the possible devolution of responsibility for criminal justice in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: The Government stand by the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the St. Andrews Agreement. We will be ready to deliver the completion of devolution in May 2008, if the Assembly so requests.

Sesame Street in Northern Ireland Initiative

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had on the Sesame Street in Northern Ireland initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: I have not had any discussions about Sesame Tree, the Northern Ireland version of Sesame Street.
	None the less, it is an exciting project that I am pleased to endorse.

Police Community Support Officers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on plans to introduce police community support officers in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: PCSOs will have an important role to play alongside regular police officers and other support staff, in making communities safer and providing public reassurance.
	The precise date for the introduction of PCSOs is yet to be decided.

Cross-border Relations

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border relations.

Shaun Woodward: I am sure that hon. Members will agree that the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland has never been stronger and that co-operation across a wide range of issues has never been more effective.

Cross-border Relations

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cross-border relations.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Braintree.

Dissident Republican Groups

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the activities of dissident republican groups in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the right hon. Member for Bracknell (Mr. Mackay) and the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mrs. Dorries).

Reservists

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on reservist numbers in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The PSNI establishment currently includes 680 full-time reserve officers and 634 part-time reserve officers.
	The chief constable announced on 21 September that following a review he has concluded that the security situation requires him to retain a complement of 381 full-time reserve officers in order to secure the police estate and to provide protection and security in the external police environment.

Departmental Standards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to publish his Department's autumn performance report.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office's autumn performance report is scheduled to be published on 13 December 2007.

Public Inquiries: Londonderry

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the public inquiry led by Lord Saville into the events in Londonderry in January 1972 to announce its findings.

Shaun Woodward: The preparation of the inquiry report is a matter for the tribunal. Due to the vast amount of evidence that must be considered it is difficult at this stage to be precise about when the report will be presented to me, although I am advised that further time beyond the end of this calendar year will be required.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Children: Maintenance

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on which dates the Child Support Agency (CSA) office in Falkirk requested from the Child Support Agency in Bolton the case files on cases NST/06/NP717772D and NST/321015478395 on Mr. M. N. of Aylesbury; and when he expects the CSA in Bolton to respond to those requests.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 14 November 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on which dates the Child Support Agency (CSA) office in Falkirk requested from the Child Support Agency in Bolton the case files on cases NST/06/NP717772D and NST/32105478395 on Mr M. N. of Aylesbury; and when he expects the CSA in Bolton to respond to those requests.
	As details about individual cases are confidential, I have written to you separately about this case.

Discrimination: Age

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he will take to bring forward measures to provide legal protection for older people against discrimination in the provision of goods, services and facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: As part of its recent consultation on proposals for an Equality Bill, the Government sought views on whether there is a case for introducing legislation to prohibit harmful age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services.
	We have received a significant number of responses and our analysis of these is informing the development and finalisation of our policy proposals. The Government will publish a response to the consultation in due course.

Incapacity Benefit: Forest of Dean

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the number of people in Forest of Dean constituency claiming incapacity benefit in respect of  (a) mental and  (b) physical impairments.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants in Forest of Dean 
			  Quarter ending  Mental  i mpairments  Physical  i mpairments 
			 February 2007 1,190 1,950 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. It is assumed that everything that is not a mental impairment is physical.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS

Pathways to Work

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of the Pathways to Work programme has been; what the cost for each participant securing  (a) employment and  (b) sustained employment has been; and what the projected cost of the national roll out of the Pathways to Work programme is.

Caroline Flint: To April 2007, we have spent £271 million on our Pathways to Work programme, covering 40. per cent of the country. We estimate that the cost per job in Jobcentre Plus-led Pathways areas is around £2,500. Comparable information on cost per sustained job in Jobcentre Plus-led Pathways areas is not available. We are rolling out Pathways to Work nationally to the remaining 60 per cent. of the country, through the private and voluntary sector, with £531 million available for provider contracts over three years. In total we expect a nationally rolled out Pathways to Work programme to cost around £400 million per year.

Pensioners: Low Incomes

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what change there has been in levels of pensioner poverty measured by poverty levels before housing costs since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: Specific information regarding low income is available in Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2005-06 (Revised), a copy of which has been placed in the Library. The threshold of below 60 per cent. contemporary median income is the most commonly used in reporting trends in low income.
	Between 1996-97 and 2005-06, the number of pensioners below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income before housing costs fell by 0.2 million, from 2.4 million to 2.2 million.
	As around two-thirds of pensioners own their own home outright, and so derive value from their housing without paying rent or mortgage interest, we consider that measuring pensioner incomes after housing costs better reflects pensioners' living standards relative to other groups. On an after housing costs basis the number of pensioners below 60 per cent. of contemporary median income fell by 1.1 million, from 2.9 million in 1996-97 to 1.8 million in 2005-06.
	The figures quoted are for the UK for 2005-06 and for Great Britain for 1996-97. Data are not available on a UK basis for 1996-97.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Manpower

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the full-time equivalent headcount in his Department is; what the forecast full-time equivalent headcount for his Department is for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The latest full-time equivalent headcount for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport can be found in the quarterly work force statistics published by ONS (www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pse0907.pdf) The forecast full-time equivalent headcount for 2008-09 and 2009-10 is not yet available as the work force forward projections are still being finalised.

Football: World Cup

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people in his Department are working on the 2018 FIFA World Cup bid.

Gerry Sutcliffe: My Department currently has two members of staff supporting my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn) in his role as the Prime Minister's World Cup ambassador.
	My officials are discussing with the Football Association how we can work together to take forward the 2018 FIFA World Cup bid.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect on problem gambling of  (a) slot machines and  (b) fixed odds betting terminals following the conclusion of the Gambling Commissions problem gambling prevalence study; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 showed that 14 per cent. of the adult population used a slot machine in the past year and of these 2.6 per cent. were problem gamblers. 3 per cent. of the adult population used a Fixed Odd Betting Terminal in the past year and of these 11.2 per cent. were problem gamblers. The overall prevalence of problem gambling in the past year remained unchanged since 1999 at 0.6 per cent. of the adult population.
	The Gambling Commission is planning a programme of secondary analysis of the prevalence survey data which will look specifically at some of the risk factors associated with problem gambling. The research will be commissioned shortly.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from bingo clubs and adult gaming centre operators on levels of trade since (a) September 2007 and  (b) the commencement of relevant provisions of the Gambling Act 2005.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Ministers and officials hold regular meetings with key stakeholders from the gambling industry, including the Bingo Association, Business in Sport and Leisure (BISL) and the British Amusement Caterer Trade Association (BACTA), the main trade body representing gaming machine manufacturers, suppliers and arcades, including adult gaming centres.
	These meetings have continued since the Gambling Act came into force on 1 September 2007, and have included representations relating to trading conditions. Ministers and officials have also received correspondence on this subject from the Bingo Association and a number of hon. Members.

Gambling

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the evidential basis was for the decision to ban section  (a) 16 and  (b) 21 machines from adult gaming centres and bingo halls; how many section (i) 16 and (ii) 21 machines were in use in the UK in August 2007; and how many (A) bingo clubs and (B) betting offices were licensed in September (1) 2005, (2) 2006 and (3) 2007.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government never accepted that the legal provisions concerning amusements with prizes and low stake and prize gaming (in section 16 of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 and section 21 of the Gaming Act 1968 respectively), were intended by Parliament to authorise gaming by machine.
	Prior to 1 September 2007, where section 16 or 21 equipment operated, it was offered outside the 1968 Act regime which regulated gaming machines, and with greater stake and prize limits than was otherwise permitted for gaming machines in arcades and bingo halls in Great Britain.
	The Department has consistently made its position clear to the industry, both during the passage of the Gambling Bill and during the subsequent implementation of the Gambling Act. Under the Gambling Act, all machines purportedly offered under either section 16 or section 21 are classified as gaming machines. They are subject to the same limits on stakes and prizes, numbers, and locations as other gaming machines, there are no special categories created for such equipment, and they do not attract grandfather rights. This position has existed since the Gambling Act came into force on 1 September 2007.
	The Gambling Commissions annual report for 2006-07 states that the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (BACTA) estimated that there were 17,500 section 16/21 machines in 2006, the latest figures available.
	Information about the number of bingo halls operating in March of each of the last three years is available in the Gambling Commissions annual reports which can be accessed at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk. In March 2005 there were 678 such bingo halls, in March 2006, 657 and in March 2007, 634.
	Under the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963, betting offices had to apply for a bookmakers permit from a magistrates court. Under the Gambling Act, a betting office needs to apply for a general betting operating licence from the Gambling Commission.
	The latest available figures, published by DCMS in 2003, indicated that there were 8,800 betting office licences in Great Britain. Now that the Gambling Act is in force, responsibility for collating figures on betting office licences has transferred to the Gambling Commission.

Museums and Galleries: Graduates

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many placements have been granted under the Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries programme; and which institutions have provided these placements;
	(2)  what  (a) financial and  (b) administrative support his Department and its agencies provided for the Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries programme in each of the last four years.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 November 2007
	Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries (YGMG) is an internship programme run by the British Museum for gifted and talented students from non-traditional and diverse backgrounds aged 16 to 18 years old. 30 young people participated in the programme in 2005, 25 young people participated in 2006 and 40 young people participated in 2007. Six institutions are involved: the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Portrait Gallery, the Petrie Museum, Tate and Royal Air Force Museum. The Natural History Museum has also recently joined the programme for 2008.
	My Department provided £7,000 towards the publication of a research report in 2005. No other financial or administrative support has been provided to the Young Graduates for Museums and Galleries programme.

Olympic Games 2012: Scholarships

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many 2012 scholarships were awarded in each of the last three years; and what the average award value has been.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The number of TASS 2012 Scholarships awarded in each of the last three academic years and the average award value is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of awards  Award value 
			 2004-05 0  
			
			 2005-06 118 57 awards at £10,000 
			   61 awards at £5,000 
			
			 2006-07 114 86 awards at £10,000 
			   10 awards at £5,000 
			   18 awards ranging from £1,000 to £2,500

Sports: Facilities

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people who regularly use sports facilities in England live in Wales.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the number of people living in Wales but using sports facilities in England is not collected centrally.

Travel Information: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourist information centres there were in London on  (a) 1 June 1992,  (b) 1 June 1997,  (c) 1 June 2002 and  (d) 1 June 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Information is not kept for the precise dates requested. There are currently 14 recognised tourist information centres (TICs) in London, including Swanley. Additionally, the new City of London Centre opening this month hopes to be recognised next year. There were 20 recognised TICs in 1998 and 14 in 2002.

UK Sport: Finance

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer of 18 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1217W, on UK Sports overseas conferences, what UK Sports involvement is with the Legacy Lives 2008 Conference taking place in Barbados in January 2008; and what the cost to the public purse of its involvement is estimated to be.

Gerry Sutcliffe: UK Sport is an International Partner of the Legacy Lives 2008 Conference. As the UK agency for World Class Events UK Sport is providing £30,000 to support the 2008 Conference.
	Supporting Legacy Lives is part of an ongoing strategy to promote greater knowledge and debate about the legacy benefits that arise from public investment in major sporting events.

Video Games

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he has had any discussions with the BBFC on the criteria used by video games manufacturers to select the video games submitted to the BBFC for classification.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 13 November 2007
	 No. The criteria are set out in the Video Recordings Act. It is for the publishers and the Pan European Games Information system to ensure that games which lose their exemption are referred to the BBFC.

Video Games

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether he has had any discussions with his European counterparts on the adoption of a compulsory system for the classification of video games.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 13 November 2007
	I have had no such discussions. However, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, Lord Falconer of Thoroton and my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Joan Ryan) represented the UK at the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union held on 12 and 13 June where violent video games were discussed. A statement setting out the outcome of the council's discussions was laid in Parliament on 27 June.
	In the UK, there is a statutory system in place for games that feature gross violence and/or material of a sexual nature.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Females: Voluntary Organisations

Diane Abbott: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps she is taking to ensure that Government funding for voluntary women's groups is provided on a long-term basis; and if she will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The Third Sector Review, published in July by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, outlines the commitment by Government to pass on the flexibility and certainty of three year funding to third sector organisations they fund as the norm rather than the exception. Additionally the Office funds a number of Third Sector organisations to represent their voice to Government and one of those is the Women's Resource Centre; which provides voice and advocacy on behalf of the women's voluntary and community sector.
	I recognise this is an issue for many smaller organisations who often struggle to provide much needed support.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics 
	(1)  whether  (a) an up-to-date budget,  (b) the monthly cashflow and  (c) a breakdown of contingency funds allocated to specific projects is made available to members of the Olympic Board at each board meeting;
	(2)  what budgetary information is brought before every meeting of the Olympic Board.

Tessa Jowell: holding answers 12 and 13 November 2007
	The Olympic Board has received monthly updates on  (a) the budget and  (b) cashflow of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), and will continue to do so.
	Contingency  (c) is a matter for the Ministerial Funders Group. However, the Olympic Board has been given details of the £360 million contingency allocated to the ODA in June 2007.
	The Olympic Board will receive further details of the ODAs budget and scope, within the £9.3 billion funding package, once it has been considered by the Ministerial Funders Group. I expect to provide Parliament with a more detailed breakdown of the budget and scope early in the new year.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Olympics when she expects to be able to provide estimated overall costs for the planned  (a) Spitalbrook site and  (b) alternative site for Olympic canoeing facilities, with reference to the answer of 24 October 2007,  Official Report, column 369W, on Olympic Games: Greater London.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 12 November 2007
	The overall cost for the Olympic canoeing facilities will be announced once contractual negotiations have concluded, which we expect to be in early 2009 as planned. In the meantime, both sites continue to be considered as a venue for Games events, with a formal announcement on the site decision expected in early 2008. The project remains on track to complete the venue for test events in 2011.

TREASURY

Departmental Conferences

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on organising conferences to be held by his Department and its agencies that were subsequently cancelled in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) on 30 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1183W.

Manpower: Government Departments

Charles Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the full-time equivalent headcount in his Department is; what the forecast full-time equivalent headcount for his Department is for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The latest information of full-time equivalent headcount and plans for 2008-09 is published in the HM Treasury Annual Report and Accounts 2006-07 and is available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/A/2/annual_report07.pdf
	There is no set target for 2009-10 at present.

Suicide

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of deaths in  (a) the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St. Ives,  (b) Cornwall and  (c) the UK were suicides in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 14 November 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what percentage of deaths in  (a) the West Cornwall and Isles of Scilly constituency of St. Ives,  (b) Cornwall and  (c) the UK were suicides in each of the last 10 years. (163279)
	The table below provides the percentage of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death, in  (a) St. Ives parliamentary constituency,  (b) Cornwall county and  (c) the UK, for 1997 to 2006 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of deaths where suicide was the underlying cause of death( 1) , (a) St. Ives parliamentary constituency, (b) Cornwall county, and (c) the UK( 2,3) , 1997-2006( 4) 
			  Percentage 
			   St. Ives  Cornwall  UK 
			 1997 1 1 1 
			 1998 1 1 1 
			 1999 1 1 1 
			 2000 0 1 1 
			 2001 1 1 1 
			 2002 1 1 1 
			 2003 1 1 1 
			 2004 2 1 1 
			 2005 2 1 1 
			 2006 1 1 1 
			 (1 )Suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E950-E959 and E980-E989. excluding E988.8 for the years 1997 to 2000 for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for the years 1997 to 1999 for Scotland, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84 and Y10-Y34, excluding Y33.9 (where the Coroners verdict was pending) for the years 2001 to 2006 for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, and for the years 2000 to 2006 for Scotland. Verdicts of suicide and undetermined intent are not returned for children under the age of 15 years. (2 )Based on boundaries as of 2007. (3) Figures for the UK include data provided by the Registrars General for Scotland and Northern Ireland. (4 )Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Expenditure

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what efficiency savings his Department was required to make as part of its Spending Review 2004 (SR04) targets; what efficiency projects have been undertaken in the Department in pursuit of those targets; on what date each was initiated; and how much each was predicted to contribute to the SR04 target.

Jonathan R Shaw: The projects that comprised DEFRA's efficiency portfolio are set out in our Efficiency Technical Note. This was published on the HM Treasury website in December 2005 at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/busplan/spending-review/pdf/efficiencynote-0511.pdf.
	Progress against our SR04 targets is reported in our departmental report. The most recent (2007) is at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/deprep/2007/2007-deptreport.pdf.
	We laid a copy of our departmental report before Parliament on 17 May 2007,  Official Report, column 45WS and placed copies in the House Library.

Ferries: Lymington

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps will be taken by the Marine Consents and Environment Unit to safeguard the environment when it determines the application by Wightlink to modify existing fenders, ramps and linkspan bridges on the Lymington to Yarmouth route;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the advice from Natural England that proposals for new ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth constitute a project for the purposes of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive 85/337.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer  12 November  2007
	The licensing duties of the Marine Consents and Environment Unit are now exercised by the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA) on behalf of the Secretary of State. Applications have been made to the MFA by Wightlink Ltd under both the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (FEPA) and the Coast Protection Act 1949 (CPA) to undertake works to modify the piles, fendering and access links concerned with the operation of their ferry service between Lymington and Yarmouth.
	In determining applications for marine works, the MFA undertakes a rigorous scientific assessment of the potential environmental risks including, where such works lie in or close to a Natura 2000 site, whether they are likely to have a significant effect on the integrity of the conservation assets of that site. Natural England (NE) has advised that the works for which these applications have been made constitute part of a plan or project in the context of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c) Regulations 1994 and, having regard to the potential impact of the operation of larger replacement ferry vessels, it is their view that a formal Appropriate Assessment' (AA) should be carried out for the scheme.
	Wightlink Ltd. has questioned NE's position and the MFA is currently considering this advice in consultation with a range of stakeholders. This includes other competent authorities that may be required to undertake an AA in exercising their statutory powers in respect of the project.

Fly Tipping: Databases

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities comply with Government guidelines when entering records on the Flycapture Database so that those records are harmonised and the resulting published tables provide an accurate comparison of local authority performance.

Joan Ruddock: Since the Flycapture database was set up in 2004, DEFRA has funded a data co-ordinator to help and encourage local authorities in England to register and to submit regular and accurate monthly returns.
	DEFRA and the Environment Agency have produced guidance on how to submit returns accurately and when certain activity could be classed as fly-tipping. The data co-ordinator offers support to Flycapture data co-ordinators within local authorities, and visits authorities to help resolve problems and validate data.
	DEFRA has also held a number of workshops with local authorities, and holds regular Flycapture support group meetings at which good practice and knowledge is shared.
	The aim of this work is to ensure that, after a local authority has made the decision that an incident is a fly-tip, its size, waste type and location are recorded on Flycapture in the same way across all local authorities.

Ivory

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what enforcement and reporting systems exist for worked ivory in the UK; what assessment he has made of the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of the system; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Legal trade in ivory specimens is monitored and controlled in the UK through the issue of CITES (convention on international trade in endangered species) permits. Seizures of illegal ivory are reported to CITES through the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS). Enforcement action against traders who are falsely claiming to trade under the derogation for antique worked items is a matter for the police. DEFRA officials work closely with the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU), and in particular, the Metropolitan police to ensure that items of worked ivory are what they are claimed to be. Regular checks are also made on the internet to monitor and check sales of ivory.
	The NWCU is currently preparing a comprehensive intelligence dossier on all wildlife crime which will be used by all police forces and my officials to target the worst areas of criminality.

Ivory

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what methods of registration and licensing exist for importers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers dealing in  (a) raw,  (b) semi-worked and  (c) worked ivory products, in accordance with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Resolution Conf. 10.10 (Rev. CoP14) on domestic ivory trade controls; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: EU regulations implementing CITES include no legal powers to register importers, manufacturers, wholesalers or retailers. Instead we have a system which controls the trade (i.e. movement) of ivory specimens through the issue of CITES permits. Each application is considered on its own merits.

Ivory

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to respond to the ivory trade questionnaire issued by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Secretariat in relation to the Action Plan for the control of trade in elephant ivory, pursuant to Decision 13.26 (Rev. CoP14) of CITES.

Joan Ruddock: CITES is implemented in the UK through the EU wildlife trade regulations. EU member states have therefore agreed that a combined EU response will be prepared by the European Commission and agreed by member states in response to the CITES ivory trade questionnaire.

Plastics: Recycling

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to require manufacturers of plastic containers to rationalise the types of plastic they use and to specify its type; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 12 November 2007
	DEFRA has no plans to require manufacturers to rationalise the types of plastic they use, or make the marking of plastic packaging mandatory.
	In relation to packaging, forcing producers to use specific materials would amount to a restriction of trade and would contravene the single market provisions in the EC Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. However, the Directive requires producers to minimise packaging, use recyclable materials and to take steps to ensure that these are recycled as far as possible once they have become waste. While virtually all plastic packaging is technically recyclable, in some cases this is not economically viable.
	A European Commission Decision (97/129/EC) provides for numbering and abbreviations to identify the different packaging materials, including plastics. While the marking system is voluntary, where packaging is marked, producers are required to use the markings indicated in the Directive. We would encourage manufacturers to use these markings where possible, to aid the process of sorting and recycling of plastic packaging waste.

TRANSPORT

A14: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Highways Agency expects to publish its options appraisal for improving the capacity of the A14 around Kettering.

Tom Harris: holding answer 13 November 2007
	The Highways Agency is currently re-evaluating several options in line with latest appraisal guidance. I expect a report back on this work in 2008 and we will then discuss its conclusions with regional stakeholders.

A14: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assumptions have been made by the Highways Agency about the number of new dwellings which would need to be built in Kettering to trigger the introduction of demand management measures for access to and from the A14 around Kettering.

Tom Harris: holding answer 13 November 2007
	The Highways Agency is investigating possible low-cost improvements to the A14 around Kettering with a view to assisting the delivery of growth in the short/medium term. This includes demand management measures which will complement Northamptonshires Transport Strategy for Growth. This study is due to report early next year when we will be able to relate its findings to housing numbers.

A42

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to upgrade the A42 to motorway.

Tom Harris: The future of the A42 corridor was examined as part of the West Midlands to East Midlands Multi Modal Study which recommended the upgrade of the road to full motorway and widening. The A42 has been identified as a Trunk Road of Regional importance, and it is therefore for the East Midlands Regional Assembly to consider and recommend to the Secretary of State their priorities for funding of improvements in the Region through the Regional Funding Allocation (RFA).
	The current RFA allocates schemes up to 2016. The improvement to the A42 was not prioritised by the Region for delivery during that period. The status of the scheme would be reconsidered by the Region as part of any further rounds of the RFA process.

Accidents: A262

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving  (a) fatalities and  (b) serious injuries occurred on the A262 between Goudhurst and Cranbrook in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There were no fatal accidents recorded on the A262 between the junction with North Road at Goudhurst and the junction with the A229 at Cranbrook during the past 10 years. The number of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one serious injury on the above stretch of the A262 in each of the last 10 years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of accidents 
			   Accidents involving at least one serious injury 
			 1997 1 
			 1998 2 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 3 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 2 
			 2005 1 
			 2006 1

Invalid Vehicles

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what her policy is on whether mobility scooters should only be available after approval has been sought from a general practitioner;
	(2)  if she will introduce compulsory training for the use of mobility scooters.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport does not currently believe that general practitioners should be responsible for approving the use of mobility scooters by members of the public. However, we are currently reviewing the future registration, training and fitness to drive requirements of mobility scooter users in England and will be announcing our plans in this area in early 2008. All options, including the possible introduction of compulsory training, are being considered as part of this process.

Members: Correspondence

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to reply to the letter of 26 September from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I replied to the hon. Members letter dated 26 September on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport on 18 October.

Members: Correspondence

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to reply to the letter of 18 September from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department has no record of receiving a letter dated 18( )September from the hon. Member.

Motorcycles: Tolls

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to exempt motorcycles from future proposals to introduce  (a) road pricing and  (b) congestion charges.

Rosie Winterton: Several local authorities are developing plans for local pricing schemes, but it is too soon to know whether they will decide to charge motorcycles or exempt them as in London. As proposals emerge from local authorities the Government will consider whether it needs to set any central rules or offer guidance on discounts and exemptions.

Obesity

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response she has made to the Foresight report on Tackling Obesities: Future Choices in relation to the role of transport policy in the development of obesogenic environments.

Rosie Winterton: Officials from the Department for Transport were involved in development of the Foresight report. We agree that a built environment which encourages active travel is important.
	The primary responsibility for ensuring local networks are conducive to walking and cycling rests with local authorities. The Department provides guidance and advice such as Manual for Streets, which we published in March this year. Our aim, through the manual, is to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles in residential street design by assigning a higher priority to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists. The manual is aimed at all practitioners involved in the planning, design, approval and provision of residential streets.
	We recognise the wider benefits including the health benefits of promoting active travel. We will continue to work with other Government Departments such as Department for Children, Schools and Families where we are working together to promote sustainable travel to school and with local authorities to ensure that the environment is structured to encourage active travel.

Railway Stations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new railway station or halt openings or re-openings have occurred in the last 10 years; what the date of each was; and what the estimated population hinterland was in each case.

Tom Harris: Stations opened or reopened on the national rail network since November 1997 are listed in the table. The population hinterland of each is not held centrally.
	
		
			  Station  Opened 
			 Euxton Balshaw Lane 15 December 1997 
			 Brunswick 9 March 1998 
			 Dalgety Bay 28 March 1998 
			 Drumfrochar 24 May 1998 
			 Whitwell 24 May 1998 
			 Creswell 24 May 1998 
			 LangwithWhaley Thorns 24 May 1998 
			 Shirebrook 24 May 1998 
			 Conway Park 22 June 1998 
			 Canning Town(1) 14 May 1999 
			 West Ham(2) 14 May 1999 
			 West Brompton 30 May 1999 
			 West Ham(3) 30 May 1999 
			 Norwich Parkway 30 May 1999 
			 Luton Airport Parkway 21 November 1999 
			 Dunfermline Queen Margaret 25 January 2000 
			 Brighouse(4) 29 May 2000 
			 Wavertree Technology Park 13 August 2000 
			 Lea Green 17 September 2000 
			 Warwick Parkway 8 October 2000 
			 Howwood 12 March 2001 
			 Beauly(4) 15 April 2002 
			 Newcraighall 2 June 2002 
			 Brunstane 2 June 2002 
			 Edinburgh Park 18 December 2003 
			 Braintree Freeport 10 December 2003 
			 Glasshoughton 12 December 2004 
			 Chandlers Ford(4) 12 December 2004 
			 Gartcosh 9 May 2005 
			 RhooseCardiff airport 10 June 2005 
			 Llantwit Major 10 June 2005 
			 Kelvindale 26 September 2005 
			 Larkhall 11 December 2005 
			 Merryton 11 December 2005 
			 Chatelherault 11 December 2005 
			 Liverpool South Parkway 11 June 2006 
			 St. Pancras International 14 November 2007 
			 (1) Resited due to Jubilee Line works (2) North London Line platformsresited due to Jubilee Line works (3) Southend Line platforms (4) Reopened

Railway Stations: Shipley

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been allocated to accessibility improvements at Shipley railway station under the Access for All programme.

Tom Harris: Shipley station has been targeted to receive an estimated £3,054,000 investment under the Access for All Main Programme.
	This will see the installation a new footbridge and lifts to platforms 3 and 4, as well as new lifts to the existing footbridge connecting platforms 1 and 2; thus creating an accessible route into the station and between platforms. These works are currently targeted for completion during spring 2008.

Transport: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of transport infrastructure needs in Hertfordshire; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The local highway and planning authority, Hertfordshire county council, has the responsibility for assessing the infrastructure needs in Hertfordshire in conjunction with the development of their local transport plan (LTP). They have recently reported good progress against their LTP targets and I expect them to continue to reassess the transport infrastructure needs of the county against these indicators and in line with published proposals for future growth.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Bankruptcy

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of individual voluntary arrangements were made (a) pre-bankruptcy and  (b) post-bankruptcy in each year since the introduction of the Enterprise Act 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The personal insolvency provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 came into force on 1 April 2004. The number of IVAs since then is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-07  2006-07 
			 Total number of IVAs 11,613 24,947 47,975 
			 Total number of post-bankruptcy IVAs 135 114 71 
			 Total number of pre-bankruptcy IVAs 11,478 24,833 47,904 
			 Post-bankruptcy IVAs as percentage of all IVAs 1.16% 0.46% 0.15% 
			 Pre-bankruptcy IVAs as percentage of all IVAs 98.84 99.54 99.85 
		
	
	I do not intend to make a statement on this matter.

Departmental Public Consultations

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many citizens juries were arranged for his Department for each year between 1997 and June 2007; which organisations were commissioned to conduct each citizens jury; and what the cost was of each.

Stephen Timms: The narrowing of the scope of the right hon. Members previous question by removing the reference to agencies does not alter my reply to the right hon. Member of 30 October 2007,  Official Report column 1323W.

EC Reform: Treaties

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of the implementation of the EU Reform Treaty on the control of UK oil reserves.

Malcolm Wicks: Article 176a of the Treaty does provide for the EU to help manage the functioning of integrated European energy markets, but does not seek to move control of any nations energy resources to the EU. A key passage included in Article 176 reads:
	Such measures shall not affect a member states right to determine the conditions for exploiting its energy resources, its choice between different energy sources and the general structure of its energy supply...
	It is clear from this that the UK and other EU nations will continue to have control over their indigenous energy resources.

Export Credits Guarantees: Iran

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer of 3 May 2007,  Official Report, column 186W, on Iran: export credits guarantees, what conclusions have been reached on the applicability of UN Security Council Resolution 1747 to the provision of export credits to Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: provided on 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 49W on Iran, Export Credit Guarantees. No applications for cover for Iran are being processed by ECGD while the market is under review.

Fuel Poverty: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what percentage of pensioner householders were defined as being in fuel poverty in Stroud constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Malcolm Wicks: In 2003 the Fuel Poverty Indicator dataset (available online at http://www.fuelpoverty indicator.org.uk/) estimates that there are approximately 2,700 fuel poor households in Stroud. There is no split available for whether these are pensioner households or not.
	Nationally 47 per cent. of households that are fuel poor have a household compositions of couple, no dependent child(ren), aged 60 or over or one person aged 60 or over. These data are available from the Detailed Breakdown of Fuel Poverty in England in 2004; Version 1, April 2004 available online at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file29687.pdf
	There are no timeline data available.

Manufacturing Industries: Automation

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on the costs of UK manufacturing industry investment of increased use of industrial robots;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of increased use of industrial robots on UK industrial productivity.

Stephen Timms: No recent assessment has been made. Officials are liaising with the Engineering and Machinery Alliance and the British Automation and Robot Association about the role of robotics in improving productivity.

Minimum Wage: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people in Scotland earn the minimum wage; what percentage of the population in work this figure represents; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings estimates that in April 2007 there were around 70,000 employee jobs in Scotland paid a rate within 5p of the relevant national minimum wage rate. In April 2007 this was £5.35 for those aged 22 or over, £4.45 for those aged 18 to 21 and £3.30 for those aged 16 to 17. This represents approximately 3 per cent. of Scottish employee jobs.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on the Governments policy on proposals by the European Union to cut the cost of mobile telephone calls throughout the EU.

Stephen Timms: The aim of the UK Government in negotiating the Mobile Roaming Regulation was to strike a balance, introducing changes that would benefit all mobile phone users, without distorting the market or stifling competition and innovation in the mobile phone industry.
	Our view was that roaming prices were indeed higher than could be justified, and the question was hownot whetherto address the problem. But we had severe misgivings about the nature of the solution initially proposed by the Commission, which would have had a serious effect on competition (particularly on smaller players) and could have led to increases in domestic call rates.
	We worked closely with business and our European partners to find a solution which was good for consumers and which supported a viable and competitive market. We welcome that result. UK consumers are already reaping the benefits.

Nuclear Power Stations

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when he expects his Department to approve the first pre-authorisation consent for new nuclear power stations.

Malcolm Wicks: Following a request from the Government, the regulators (the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency) developed a process for generic design assessment of new nuclear reactor designs, which they are carrying out on a contingent basis pending the outcome of the consultation on the future of nuclear power. The regulators published their guidance on the Generic Design Assessment process in January 2007.
	The regulators estimate that performing generic design assessments for a competitive number of reactor designs could take around three and a half years, running until around 2010-11. Greater clarity on the time needed for the generic design assessment process should become available as the process unfolds. The time needed will also depend on the number of designs that are assessed concurrently.

Nuclear Power Stations: Design

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether any proposed designs for new nuclear power stations have been received by his Department for generic design assessment.

Malcolm Wicks: The consultation document The Future of Nuclear Power, published on 23 May 2007 invited vendors of nuclear reactor designs who are interested in having their designs assessed through the Generic Design Assessment process to write to the regulators Joint Programme Office by 22 June 2007.
	By this date, the regulators had received four applications for Generic Design Assessment.
	Following assessment of the applications by the Government, all four were found to have met the criteria set down in the consultation document and as a result, the regulators (the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency) agreed to assess all four designs in the initial stage of the generic design assessment process. A press notice setting out the outcome of the Governments assessment of applications was released on 5 July 2007. This, along with the letters of application sent by the vendors, and their letters of endorsement from operators, can be found on the BERR website.

Nuclear Power: Public Participation

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when his Department plans to publish a formal response to the recently concluded consultation on the future of nuclear power; and if his Department will publish a list of all respondents to the consultation.

Malcolm Wicks: I plan to publish a response to the consultation around the turn of the year. I will also publish on my Departments website all responses to the consultation, except where the respondents asked for their responses to remain confidential.

Post Codes: Charities

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions his Department has had with Royal Mail on the provision of a free postcode database for use by charities.

Patrick McFadden: My Department has not had any discussions with Royal Mail on the provision of a free postcode database for use by charities. The Postal Address File is owned and managed by Royal Mail. Under the Postal Services Act 2000 and a condition of its licence, Royal Mail is required to maintain and make the PAF available to any person who wishes to use it on such terms as are reasonable. Postcomm is responsible for enforcing this.

Post Office: Manpower

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many people served by English postal sorting offices reside in Wales.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Royal Mail. I have therefore asked Adam Crozier, Chief Executive of Royal Mail to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Regional Development Agencies: Finance

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the total budget is for each regional development agency for  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09,  (c) 2009-10 and  (d) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The regional development agencies' allocated budgets for 2007-08 are set out in the following table. The Department has also given them indicative budgets for 2008-09 to 2010-11 to enable them to produce corporate plans for approval in the new year.
	
		
			  £000 
			  RDA  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			 Advantage West Midlands 290,960 279,064 275,378 268,914 
			 East of England Development Agency 136,557 131,803 130,228 127,184 
			 East Midlands Development Agency 175,536 159,709 157,668 153,972 
			 London Development Agency 374,149 389,674 384,626 375,604 
			 North West Development Agency 395,003 391,611 386,442 377,371 
			 One NorthEast 277,050 247,696 244,361 238,619 
			 South East England Development Agency 162,887 159,707 157,832 154,145 
			 South West of England Regional Development Agency 159,339 156,981 155,053 151,425 
			 Yorkshire Forward 304,316 303,049 299,048 292,028

Renewable Energy

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recent estimate he has made of the share of the UKs primary energy consumption generated from renewable sources using the European Commissions method of calculation; and on what assumptions this estimate is based.

Malcolm Wicks: According to statistics published by Eurostat in September 2007, gross inland consumption of energy in the United Kingdom in 2005 was 232,259 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent of which renewables accounted for 4,055 thousand tonnes of oil equivalent or 1.7 per cent. The corresponding percentage for 2004 was 1.5. The 2005 percentage for the 27 member states of the EU taken together was 6.7. The definitions used for these primary fuel input percentages are as follows.
	Gross inland consumption of energy is a measure of the energy inputs to the economy, calculated as total indigenous energy production plus energy imports minus energy exports, plus net withdrawals from existing stocks. Renewable energy is similarly measured in primary fuel input terms.
	Eurostat have also published (in October 2007) statistics that show the percentage of final energy consumption covered by renewable energy. For the UK in 2005 this was 1.3 per cent. up from 1.2 per cent. in 2004 and compares with 8.3 per cent. for the 27 member states of the EU taken together in 2005. The definitions used for these final consumption percentages are as follows.
	The share of final energy consumption attributable to renewables is the sum of the following three elements:
	the final consumption of renewables for heat production (including the final consumption of district heat from renewables)
	gross electricity generation from renewables
	liquid biofuels used for transport
	divided by the final energy consumption (industry, transport and other sectors) of all energy sources, including consumption by the energy industries and distribution losses for energy and heat production.

Small Businesses: Copeland

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small businesses within the Copeland area have declared bankruptcy in each of the last five financial years.

Patrick McFadden: Table 1 shows the number of bankruptcies in Copeland for the last five calendar years derived from postcodes provided by bankrupt individuals (financial year information cannot be provided in the time available).
	The "business bankruptcies" shown are all those cases where the bankrupt individual was classified as being self-employed/trading; it is not possible to further split these by size of business. Cases presented on the petition of the debtor (the business) are also shown separately from those presented on the petition of a creditor.
	Classifying bankrupts into geographic areas is done using the postcode that the bankrupt individual provides. The use of this in assigning an individual to a district is thus as reliable as the postcode information provided.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Bankruptcies 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Copeland business bankruptcies 10 7 7 7 5 
			  Of which:  
			 Copeland business bankruptcies creditor petition 2 1 2 1 1 
			 Copeland business bankruptcies debtor petition 8 6 5 6 4 
			 All Copeland bankruptcies 33 29 28 30 38

Small Businesses: Copeland

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small businesses within Copeland have ceased trading within  (a) 12 months and  (b) three years of starting to trade in the last five years.

Stephen Timms: Data on the number of all small businesses that cease trading are not available.
	However, data on the number of businesses of all sizes that cease trading one and three years after registering for VAT are available. Due to low absolute numbers of businesses de-registering for VAT for Copeland local authority, the data are combined with those for Barrow-in-Furness local authority to give a more robust estimate.
	The following tables show the number of businesses that de-registered for VAT within one and three years of registration, for Copeland local authority and Barrow-in-Furness local authority combined, by year of registration for the latest five years worth of available data.
	
		
			  The number of VAT de-registrations within one of registration, and the one year de-registration rate by registration year, in Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland combined 
			   Year of registration 
			   2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Number de-registering for VAT within one year 16 7 7 13 11 
			 De-registration rate(1) within one year (percentage) 9 5 4 4 5 
			 (1) Calculated as the proportion of those registering that de-register within the period.  Source: BERR analysis of VAT and survival rate data 
		
	
	
		
			  The number of VAT de-registrations within three years of registration, and the three year de-registration rate by registration year, in Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland combined 
			   Year of registration 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002 
			 Number de-registering for VAT within three years 76 58 44 32 34 
			 De-registration rate(1) within three years (percentage) 36 29 25 22 19 
			 (1) Calculated as the proportion of those registering that de-register within the period.  Source: BERR analysis of VAT and survival rate data 
		
	
	VAT registration and de-registration data for 2006 will be published on 14( )November 2007. Survival data will not be produced again until 2009.
	Since the registration rate exceeded the de-registration rate throughout the period, the stock of VAT registered businesses in Copeland local authority rose by 9 per cent. between the start of 2001 and the start of 2006 and the stock for Copeland and Barrow-in-Furness combined rose by 7 per cent.
	VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £60,000 at the start of 2006. Similarly, businesses that de-register may not have closed. Only 1.9 million out of 4.5 million UK enterprises (41 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2006.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what system is used to monitor the armed forces level of fuel reserves and fuel consumption in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan.

Bob Ainsworth: In both Iraq and Afghanistan, bulk fuel storage tanks are dipped on a daily basis to measure the volumes of fuel held. This is reported upwards through routine reports and returns.
	In Iraq, in order to take account of fuel expansion in hot weather, bulk fuel meters are used at fuel inlets and outlets as an additional measure to monitor fuel levels.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the average number of days of service personnel's rest and recreation mid-way through an operational tour which has been lost due to circumstances outside the control of the individual concerned in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: This information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, operational circumstances such as medical evacuations do cause delays from time to time. Significant effort is made by the permanent joint head quarters and commanders in the theatres to ensure that delays experienced by personnel proceeding on their rest and recuperation are kept to a minimum.

Armed Forces: Shipping

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the effectiveness and efficiency of  (a) Hunt Class and  (b) River Class patrol vessels are measured; what the principal differences are between them; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The River and Hunt Class vessels provide different capabilities. The River Class are Offshore Patrol Vessels that are leased by the Department, primarily to meet its remit to DEFRA for providing Fishery Protection in UK waters. The Hunt Class, however, are Mine Counter-measure Vessels that, prior to the introduction of the River Class, were used to meet the Departments requirement to carry out Fishery Protection duties.
	The principal differences between the two Classes are listed in the table as follows:
	
		
			   River Class  Hunt Class 
			 In Service Date 2003 1980-1989 
			 Number in Class 3 11 
			 Number in-service 3 11 
			 Primary role Offshore Patrol Vessel Mine Countermeasure Vessel 
			 Length 79.5m 60m 
			 Beam 13.6m 10.5m 
			 Draught 3.8m 2.2m 
			 Tonnes 1,677 750 
			 Complement 30 (plus boarding party) 45 
			 Weapons systems 1 x 20mm gun 1 x 30mm gun Outfit DLK decoy systems 
			 Mine Warfare systems None Remote controlled submersibles and mine clearance divers

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of uparmouring one US Force Protection Inc's Cougar vehicle to create the finished Mastiff vehicle.

Bob Ainsworth: The full integration cost of converting a Cougar vehicle into a Mastiff is £308,000 excluding VAT. This includes armour, electronic counter measures, communications system, weapons station, miscellaneous internal fitments and stowage, situational awareness system and design and developments costs. The cost of the armour element, which includes procurement of materials, machining and fitting, is £70,000, excluding VAT.

Charities: Liability

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much Defence Estate (Thetford) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(2)  how much Defence Estate (Warminster) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(3)  how much Defence Estate (Telford) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(4)  how much Defence Estate (Rosyth) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(5)  how many decisions to waive the liability charge on Defence Estate (Aldershot) have been made for charity events since 2006; and what events were involved;
	(6)  how much Defence Estate (Andover) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(7)  how much Defence Estate (Sutton Coldfield) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(8)  how much Defence Estate (Salisbury) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(9)  how much Defence Estate (Osbaldwick, York) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005;
	(10)  how much Defence Estate (High Wycombe) has billed in liability charges for charity events held on his Department's property since April 2005.

Bob Ainsworth: It is not possible to separately identify liability charges billed by each Defence Estates (DE) office from other charges for events without incurring disproportionate cost in each case.
	DE Aldershot has made no decisions to waive liability charges for charity events since 2006.

Cyprus: Prisons

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of  (a) prison conditions and  (b) prisoners' rights for Cypriots held in the Sovereign Base Areas; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Sovereign Base Area (SBA) prison conditions and prisoners' rights are governed by the SBA Prisons Ordinance 1971 and the associated Prison (General) Regulations 2005. In support of these regulations, the SBA Administration keeps all matters relating to the SBA prison under constant review.
	In 2004, the SBA Administration commissioned HM Chief Inspector of Prisons to conduct a review of the SBA prison facility. Of the subsequent recommendations, the vast majority were accepted and have been implemented. For the small number that could not be implemented, primarily for reasons of practicality, the SBA Administration has introduced other measures to comply with the spirit of the recommendations.

Departmental Expenditure

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what his Departments budget for conferences is in 2007-08;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on hiring external venues for conferences in 2006-07.

Derek Twigg: The MOD does not have a central budget for conferences. The cost of conferences, including the hiring of external venues, is borne by individual units; therefore the information required could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many instances of damage to the axles and leaf springs to the Mastiff vehicle have been recorded by his Department in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Bob Ainsworth: Records show that there have been no instances of damage of this type to Mastiff vehicles in Iraq over this period.
	Mastiff vehicles were first deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year. Since being deployed, there have been 10 instances of damage to the axles and leaf springs of that vehicle. An upgrade to the suspension system has now significantly reduced the number of incidents of damage.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters in the  (a) Army Air Corps,  (b) Fleet Air Arm and  (c) RAF are currently (i) in service and (ii) fit for purpose.

Bob Ainsworth: The number of helicopters utilised by the Royal Navy, Army Air Corps and Royal Air Force which are in the Forward Fleet and considered Fit for Purpose are detailed in the following table. Forward Fleet aircraft are those that are available to the Front Line Command for operational and training purposes (i.e. those not in depth maintenance). Aircraft defined as Fit for Purpose are those considered capable of carrying out their planned missions on a given date.
	
		
			   Forward Fleet  Fit for Purpose 
			 Royal Navy 121 63 
			 Army Air Corps 166 106 
			 Royal Air Force 82 53 
		
	
	The figures shown are the average for the month of September 2007. The number of helicopters Fit for Purpose will vary from day to day due, primarily, to routine maintenance requirements. Operational capability is measured in terms of flying hours rather than the number of airframes available.
	These figures do not include the six RAF Merlin helicopters recently acquired from Denmark or the eight RAF Chinook Mark 3 helicopters that are being converted to a Battlefield Support role, as announced by the Secretary of State on 30 March 2007.

Military Airfields

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to conclude his review of military airfields; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: As my predecessor told the hon. Member on 23 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1530W, there will not be a single report on the outcome of the defence airfield review. The work is being taken forward through a series of business cases assessing the best configuration of airfields both operationally and in value for money terms, for a number of future aircraft types. I will inform the House of these individual studies when they complete.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) budget and  (b) remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; who the chairman is of each; and to what salary, including bonuses and expenses, each chairman is entitled.

Derek Twigg: The information requested, including expenditure for last year, can be found in the supplementary document to the MOD Annual Report and Accounts 2006-07, a copy of which is available on the MOD website at the following link. Information on budgets for this year is a matter for the body in question.
	http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4C8D6BF8-0805-4F46-9A63-8CFC40660008/0/MOD_non_departmental_publicbodies.pdf

Reserve Forces: Drugs

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many drugs tests on reservist army personnel were  (a) carried out and  (b) produced positive results in (i) January to June 2006, (ii) July to December 2006 and (iii) January to June 2007, broken down by (A) cocaine positive, (B) cocaine only positive, (C) cannabis positive, (D) cannabis only positive, (E) ecstasy positive and (F) ecstasy only positive.

Bob Ainsworth: The following tables give the number of drug tests on Territorial Army personnel showing positive results for cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy, and combinations of those drugs with others for the periods requested:
	
		
			   Total tests taken 
			 1 January-30 June 2006 793 
			 1 July-31 December 2006 1,069 
			 1 January-30 June 2007 399 
		
	
	
		
			   Positive results 
			  Drug type  1 January-30 June 2006  1 July-31 December 2006  1 January-30 June 2007 
			 Cocaine 2 2 2 
			 Cocaine and Ecstasy 0 0 0 
			 Cocaine, Ecstasy and Cannabis 0 0 0 
			 Cocaine, Ecstasy and other 0 0 0 
			 Cocaine and Cannabis 1 1 0 
			 Cocaine, Cannabis and other 0 0 0 
			 Cocaine and other 0 0 0 
			 Ecstasy 0 0 0 
			 Ecstasy and Cannabis 0 0 0 
			 Ecstasy, Cannabis and other 0 0 0 
			 Ecstasy and other 0 1 0 
			 Cannabis 8 1 2 
			 Other 0 1 0 
			 Total positive results 11 6 4 
		
	
	These results do not include Territorial Army personnel serving with regular forces, who are tested alongside their regular colleagues and their test results recorded as part of the overall unit results.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the length of the school day is in each academy school; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect these data.

Academies: Academic Year

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which academies have classes on  (a) weekends and  (b) school holidays; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not collect these data.

Academies: Fire Prevention

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to publish the Building Bulletin 100document on sprinklers in schools.

Jim Knight: Building Bulletin 100Design for fire safety in schools was published on 9 November 2007.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the expenditure on the Building Schools for the Future programme was (a) in each local authority area and (b) on each school covered by the project in 2006-07; what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2007-08 to 2021-22; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Details of actual capital expenditure at local authority and school level are not held centrally by the Department. However, the following table shows the capital grant payments, and supported borrowing allocations, that were made in 2006-07 to local authorities, together with the current forecasts for 2007-08 (these phased payments do not represent the full allocations):
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			   Capital grant  Supported borrowing  Capital grant (forecasts)  Supported borrowing 
			  Wave 1 
			 Bradford 2.587  2.847  
			 Bristol 0.883  5.655  
			 Greenwich 8.672  20.655  
			 Knowsley 0.050  0.036  
			 Lancashire 0.135  0.585  
			 Leeds 0.050  29.903  
			 Leicester 6.180  38.000  
			 Lewisham 0.460  6.084  
			 Manchester 34.640  92.810  
			 Newcastle 0.669  26.761  
			 Sheffield 4.607  13.761  
			 Solihull 0.400  15.150  
			 South Tyneside and Gateshead 0.100  0.730  
			 Stoke 12.400  11.545  
			 Sunderland 1.300  7.805  
			 Waltham Forest 4.327  22.996  
			  
			  Wave 2 
			 Birmingham A 0.050 13.531   
			 Hackney 0.050 9.512 5.768  
			 Haringey (wave 2 and 4) 11.653 13.675 20.024  
			 Islington 0.050 11.383 9.331  
			 Kingston on Hull  20.713   
			 Lambeth 6.117 7.022 34.207  
			 Liverpool 0.427 14.017 4.757  
			 Middlesbrough 0.050 7.982 0.050  
			 Nottingham 0.050 8.149   
			 Tower Hamlets 0.050 3.300 0.050  
			  
			  Wave 3 
			 Barnsley   0.100 19.224 
			 Bradford    11.206 
			 Durham (east) 0.050  8.834 10.782 
			 Derbyshire (NE)    7.389 
			 Kent   10.646 11.919 
			 Lewisham   0.145 6.785 
			 Luton    9.324 
			 N Lincolnshire    6.785 
			 Salford   0.050 11.309 
			 Sandwell 0.050  0.050 13.289 
			 Southwark 10.013   2.298 
			 Tameside 0.050  0.050 7.555 
			 Westminster 0.100  2.787 9.954 
			  
			  Wave 4 
			 Coventry   0.050  
			 Manchester   2.130  
			 Rochdale   0.050  
			 Sheffield   0.050  
			 Telford and Wrekin   0.050  
		
	
	For PFI projects, full detail of phasing of capital investment is not held centrally. The following table provides details of indicative allocations of PFI credits for wave 1 to 3 projects, with work continuing for waves 4 to 6:
	
		
			   £ million 
			  BSF waves 1 to 3  PFI credits 
			  Wave 1  
			 Bradford 116.9 
			 Bristol 157.2 
			 Greenwich 183.5 
			 Knowsley 250.0 
			 Lancashire 246.4 
			 Leeds 185.7 
			 Leicester 151.3 
			 Lewisham (wave 1 and 3) 221.3 
			 Newcastle 81.4 
			 Newham 65.5 
			 Sheffield 89.0 
			 Solihull 86.8 
			 S Tyneside & Gateshead 112.6 
			 Waltham Forest 53.9 
			   
			  Wave 2  
			 Birmingham 92.4 
			 Islington 103.9 
			 Kingston on Hull 158.8 
			 Nottingham 66.6 
			   
			  Wave 3  
			 Barnsley 324.3 
			 Durham (east) 79.5 
			 Derbyshire (NE) 55.4 
			 Kent 98.8 
			 Luton 32.0 
			 Salford 134.0 
			 Sandwell 59.8 
			 Southwark 83.0 
			 Tameside 119.0 
		
	
	The Department, together with Partnerships for Schools, will be reviewing the phasing of grant payments for 2008-09, and for later years, to ensure that local authorities receive their allocations in time to deliver their projects successfully. Over the CSR07 period capital support of £9.3 billion will be available to deliver the BSF and academies programmes. Resources beyond that will be subject to future spending decisions.

Classroom Assistants: Pay

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the average levels of  (a) pay and  (b) qualifications for school teaching assistants; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Departmental Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his Departments new progress targets; what consultation has been carried out in relation to these targets; and when they will be implemented.

Jim Knight: The Governments aim is a society where all children and young people achieve their full potential. There have been major improvements in educational standards at all Key Stages over the last 10 years. However, the improvements of the past decade have not been uniform for all groups of children and young people. We expect the ambitious new progression targets, set out in the recent Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), to be a major factor in helping all pupilsregardless of their background and circumstancesto realise their potential in English and mathematics in particular.
	
		
			  Indicator: Proportion of pupils progressing by 2 levels in English and maths at each of Key Stages 2, 3 and 4  National target: Increase the proportion of pupils progressing by 2 levels in English and maths at each of Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 by 2011 
			   English 2006 baseline (%)  English 2011 target (%)  English percentage points increase  Mathematics 2006 baseline (%)  Mathematics 2011 target (%)  Mathematics percentage points increase 
			 Key Stage 2 81 90 +9 73 84 +11 
			 Key Stage 3 30 46 +16 62 74 +12 
			 Key Stage 4 56 71 +15 27 40 +13 
		
	
	The Delivery Agreements, published as part of the CSR, and which set out how the Government expects to make its public service agreements a reality, were the subject of wide discussion with a variety of stakeholders. In addition, the proposal to test ways of measuring individual pupil progress was set out in our 2005 White Paper Higher StandardsBetter Schools for All, and in the more recent consultation document on Making Good Progress.
	The first progression targets will be set by all schools in autumn 2007 for outcomes in tests and examinations in 2009.

Dyslexia

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many schools in the UK have a specialist dyslexia teacher with a relevant British Dyslexia Association approved qualification;
	(2)  how many hours of training on average were undertaken by teachers on dyslexia awareness in 2006-07.

Jim Knight: The information is not collected centrally.

Education: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities were deemed to be underperforming on educational services as at 30 June 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Ofsted assess the performance of each local authoritys childrens services each year and award a performance rating. Their latest such ratings, published in the Audit Commissions February 2007 report on comprehensive performance assessment of councils in 2006, assessed childrens services in Bristol, Sandwell and Stoke-on-Trent to be inadequate. No separate rating was awarded for educational services. The Government consider on a case by case basis what steps are necessary to improve inadequate services.

Educational Visits

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school trips abroad were made by schools in each  (a) Government region and  (b) local education authority in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not collected centrally.

English Language: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many complaints have been made to him about the marking of Key Stage 3 English SATs in 2007;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the  (a) consistency and  (b) quality of the marking of Key Stage 3 English tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department has received two complaints about the marking of scripts from the Key Stage 3 English tests in May 2007. The National Assessment Agency (NAA) is responsible for the external marking of National Curriculum test scripts and has arrangements in place for schools to seek a review of the marking of test scripts if they find evidence that the mark scheme has not been properly applied. Monitoring of the quality and consistency of test marking is a matter for the NAA.

Free School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the merits and the costs of providing free school meals;
	(2)  which schools in  (a) Somerset,  (b) Surrey and  (c) Derbyshire have free school meal eligibility of above 20 per cent.; what their level of funding per pupil is in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Free school meals provide additional help to children in non-working families, that is, those where the adults do not work, or work for less than 16 hours per week. The Government believe that these families are most in need and should therefore receive the additional help that free school meals provide. We have no plans to change the criteria for free school meals or extend them to all pupils.
	Information on the schools in  (a) Somerset,  (b) Surrey and  (c) Derbyshire that have free school meal eligibility of above 20 per cent. is provided in the attached table. The Department does not collect information on the level of funding per pupil in individual local authority areas in relation to free school meals.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units: schools in Surrey with more than 20 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, as at January 2007 
			  URN  LEA number  Estab number  School name  School type 
			 130374 936 7068 Thornchace School Community Special 
			 124916 936 1100 Fordway Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 124917 936 1101 Phoenix Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125464 936 7027 Starhurst School Community Special 
			 125116 936 2940 Ash Grange Primary School Community 
			 132758 936 2963 Guildford Grove Primary School Community 
			 125127 936 2951 Epsom Downs Primary School and Childrens Centre Community 
			 125480 936 7065 Philip Southcote School Community Special 
			 125115 936 2939 Weyfield Primary School Community 
			 125466 936 7035 Wey House School Community Special 
			 134557 936 3935 Walton Oak Primary School Community 
			 124919 936 1103 Sidlow Bridge Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125002 936 2278 St. Johns Primary School Community 
			 125107 936 2928 Hythe Primary School Community 
			 125461 936 7023 The Park School Community Special 
			 125185 936 3349 St. Marks CofE Primary School Voluntary aided 
			 125018 936 2333 Cordwalles Junior School Community 
			 125243 936 3925 Bramley CofE Aided Infant School Voluntary aided 
			 125472 936 7051 Brooklands School Community Special 
			 125006 936 2292 Lorraine School Community 
			 124923 936 1107 Guildford Centre Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125468 936 7043 Walton Leigh School Community Special 
			 125105 936 2926 Broadmere Community Primary School Community 
			 125117 936 2941 Westfield Primary School Community 
			 131647 936 1119 South East Surrey Pupil Referral Unit Pupil Referral Unit 
			 125456 936 7011 St. Josephs School Non-Maintained Special 
			 125162 936 2962 St. Johns CE Community Primary School Voluntary controlled 
			 125125 936 2949 Chandlers Field Primary School Community 
			 135009 936 3940 Leatherhead Trinity School Voluntary controlled 
			 125064 936 2444 Pine Ridge Infant and Nursery School Community 
			 125126 936 2950 Town Farm Primary School Community 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained  p rimary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units: schools in Somerset with more than 20 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, as at January 2007 
			  URN  LEA number  Estab number  School name  School type  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 134518 933 1106 Yeovil Centre Pupil Referral Unit 66.7 
			 123707 933 2215 Halcon Community Primary School Community 54.5 
			 135094 933 1117 Taunton KS2/3 Centre (Rollercoaster Centre) Pupil Referral Unit 50.0 
			 123709 933 2219 Priorswood Primary School Community 42.2 
			 123939 933 7006 The Priory School Community Special 37.3 
			 134519 933 1107 Bridgwater Key Stage 3 Centre Pupil Referral Unit 36.4 
			 123938 933 7003 Elmwood School Community Special 36.2 
			 123731 933 2323 Sedgemoor Manor Infants' School Community 35.6 
			 123739 933 2332 Holway Park Community Primary School Community 34.6 
			 123733 933 2325 Westover Green Community School Community 34.2 
			 123824 933 3288 Archbishop Cranmer Church of England Community Primary School Voluntary controlled 34.2 
			 123680 933 2156 Hamp Community Junior School Community 29.0 
			 123781 933 3123 St Peter's Church of England First School Voluntary controlled 27.0 
			 123940 933 7007 Fairmead School Community Special 26.2 
			 123860 933 3490 Knights Templar Church of England/Methodist Community School Voluntary aided 25.6 
			 123900 933 5201 St. Johns Church of England Primary School Voluntary aided 24.5 
			 123732 933 2324 Sedgemoor Manor Community Junior School Community 24.2 
			 123942 933 7013 Penrose School Community Special 24.1 
			 123681 933 2157 Hamp Nursery and Infants' School Community 23.9 
			 123943 933 7014 Selworthy Special School Community Special 23.4 
			 123718 933 2300 Barwick and Stoford Community Primary School Community 22.7 
			 123686 933 2170 Beechfield Infant School Community 22.3 
			 123729 933 2319 Grass Royal Junior School Community 22.3 
			 123768 933 3079 St. Michaels Church of England First School Voluntary controlled 20.9 
			  Source:  School Census 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units: schools in Derbyshire with more than 20 per cent. of pupils eligible for free school meals, as at January 2007 
			  URN  LEA number  Estab number  School name  School type  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 131322 830 7000 Holly House Special School Community Special 62.5 
			 133690 830 1110 Newhall PRU Pupil Referral Unit 60.0 
			 133947 830 1111 Creswell Pupil Referral Unit Pupil Referral Unit 52.9 
			 112693 830 2354 Gamesley Community Primary School Community 51.5 
			 112569 830 2138 Cotmanhay Junior School Community 45.3 
			 113033 830 7009 The Delves School Community Special 44.0 
			 112626 830 2233 Barrow Hill Primary School Community 42.3 
			 133762 830 1109 Breadsall Support Centre Pupil Referral Unit 41.2 
			 112661 830 2286 Spire Junior School Community 40.1 
			 112531 830 2077 Danesmoor Infant School Community 39.6 
			 112548 830 2104 Creswell Junior School Community 39.0 
			 113031 830 7005 Brackenfield Special School Community Special 38.5 
			 113036 830 7012 Stubbin Wood School Community Special 38.2 
			 112495 830 2004 Ironvitle and Codnor Park Primary School Community 37.7 
			 113032 830 7006 Ashgate Croft School Community Special 36.6 
			 112793 830 2630 Whaley Thorns Primary School Community 34.2 
			 112609 830 2194 Longwood Community Infant School Community 33.3 
			 113040 830 7018 Alfreton Park Community Special School Community Special 32.2 
			 113041 830 7019 Stanton Vale School Community Special 31.6 
			 112682 830 2329 The Park Junior School Community 31.5 
			 112627 830 2239 Staveley Junior School Community 31.1 
			 112564 830 2127 Heath Primary School Community 30.6 
			 112529 830 2075 Clay Cross Junior School Community 30.5 
			 112619 830 2219 Brookfield Primary School Community 30.2 
			 112628 830 2240 Poolsbrook Primary School Community 30.1 
			 112616 830 2212 Langwith Bassett Primary School Community 29.7 
			 112601 830 2183 North Wingfield Junior School Community 29.6 
			 112570 830 2139 Cotmanhay Infant School Community 29.3 
			 131323 830 7001 Holbrook Centre for Autism Community Special 29.3 
			 112498 830 2008 Somerlea Park Junior School Community 29.2 
			 113037 830 7014 Bennerley Fields School Community Special 29.2 
			 112784 830 2621 Model Village Primary School Community 29.1 
			 131776 830 2005 Castle View Primary School Community 29.0 
			 112493 830 2002 Croft Infant School Community 28.9 
			 112633 830 2249 Springfield Junior School Community 28.5 
			 112612 830 2202 Ripley Infant School Community 27.9 
			 112705 830 2372 Norbriggs Primary School Community 27.5 
			 112620 830 2223 Shirtand Primary School Community 27.0 
			 112806 830 3019 Fairfield Endowed CofE (C) Junior School Voluntary controlled 27.0 
			 112629 830 2242 Speedwell Infant School Community 26.9 
			 112630 830 2243 Duckmanton Primary School Community 26.8 
			 112677 830 2315 Eureka Primary School Community 26.8 
			 112889 830 3329 St. George's CofE Primary School (VA) Voluntary aided 26.7 
			 112961 830 4195 Parkside Community School Community 26.6 
			 112810 830 3025 Christ Church CofE Primary School Voluntary controlled 26.5 
			 112494 830 2003 Woodbridge Junior School Community 26.4 
			 112660 830 2285 Spire Nursery and Infant School Community 26.0 
			 112863 830 3099 Winster CofE Primary School Voluntary controlled 25.8 
			 112528 830 2074 Clay Cross Infant School Community 25.0 
			 112509 830 2045 New Bolsover Primary and Nursery School Community 24.4 
			 112492 830 2000 Leys Junior School Community 24.3 
			 112672 830 2306 The Park Infant School Community 24.1 
			 112801 830 3012 Bolsover Church of England Junior School Voluntary controlled 24.0 
			 112499 830 2009 Somercotes Infant School Community 23.9 
			 112982 830 5208 Fairmeadows Foundation Primary School Foundation 23.8 
			 112558 830 2119 Langley Mill Junior School Community 23.0 
			 112671 830 2299 William Rhodes Primary School Community 23.0 
			 112562 830 2125 Martpool Infant School Community 22.9 
			 112610 830 2196 Anthony Bek Community Primary School Community 22.6 
			 134910 830 1112 KS4 Support Centre Pupil Referral Unit 22.5 
			 112775 830 2514 Whitecotes Primary School Community 22.4 
			 112946 830 4168 Bennerley School Community 22.4 
			 112911 830 3521 St. Margaret's Catholic Primary Voluntary aided 22.2 
			 112965 830 4199 Shirebrook School Community 22.2 
			 112649 830 2270 Whitwel! Primary School Community 21.7 
			 112659 830 2283 Cavendish Junior School Community 21.7 
			 112689 830 2340 Sawley Junior School Community 21.3 
			 112702 830 2369 Sandiacre Cloudside Junior School Community 21.3 
			 112901 830 3505 Saint Mary's Catholic Primary Voluntary aided 21.2 
			 112532 830 2079 Clowne Junior School Community 21.1 
			 112687 830 2336 Copthorne Community Infant School Community 21.0 
			 112777 830 2517 Dunston Primary School Community 20.9 
			 112655 830 2278 Woodville Infant School Community 20.7 
			 112879 830 3308 Newbold CofE VA Primary School Voluntary aided 20.7 
			 112824 830 3042 Hartshome CofE Primary School Voluntary controlled 20.6 
			 112966 830 4200 Springwell Community School Community 20.3 
			 112699 830 2362 Fairfield Infant and Nursery School Community 20.2 
			 112694 830 2356 Elmsleigh Infant and Nursery School Community 20.1 
			  Source: School Census

Further Education

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on his proposals for education of children aged 16 and over; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We received representations from a range of individuals and organisations. The main groups include: young people, parents and carers, educational institutions and learning providers, local authorities, careers advisers, employers, and trade unions. The consultation report was published on 24 July and a copy was placed in the House Library.

Languages: Curriculum

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress his Department has made in reaching its objective that between 50 and 90 per cent. of a school's Key Stage 4 cohort should study a foreign language leading to a recognised qualification.

Jim Knight: We have recently implemented a range of measures recommended by the Languages Review led by Lord Bearing and Lid King, the Department's National Director for Languages, to improve the take up of languages at GCSE. OFSTED have recently amended the self evaluation form to include a section about languages enabling schools to report their progress towards the 50 to 90 per cent. benchmark. We also wrote to School Improvement Partners in July and provided them with a toolkit to help them in their role of support and challenge over languages take-up in schools where appropriate. Two new languages indicators measuring attainment and participation in languages will be included in the Key Stage 4 achievement and attainment tables from 2008.

Music: Curriculum

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his plans for music education in schools.

Jim Knight: A number of initiatives were announced at the State of Play event on 16 January as the Governments initial response to the second Music Manifesto report. These included an additional £10 million this year to raise the profile of singing.
	In July a consortium of Youth Music, The Sage Gateshead, Faber Music and advertising agency Abbot Mead Vickers was awarded the tender to manage the new National Singing Programme. Further announcements about our plans to support music education in schools will be made in due course.

Private Education: Fees and Charges

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the average cost of a day place at a private school.

Jim Knight: We do not collect information on the average cost of a day place at an independent school, neither is it feasible to produce an estimate from the data we collect. At January 2007 the Annual Schools' Census showed fees charged by schools catering mainly for children without special educational needs fell between nil and £33,974 per annum. Fees in independent schools catering for children with complex needs can be considerably higher.

Pupil Exclusions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of how many local authorities are currently discharging each of their responsibilities in respect of permanently excluded children; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We expect all local authorities to discharge their new statutory duty to make suitable, full-time education provision for permanently excluded pupils from the sixth day of their exclusion. We will provide support, through the national strategies, for any local authority that fails to do this.

School Improvement Partners

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent estimate of the total annual cost of school improvement partners is; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The main cost of the school improvement partner programme is the cost to local authorities of deploying school improvement partners to the schools they maintain. This deployment is bound up with local authorities' wider school improvement responsibilities. Since using school improvement partners is generally more expensive than operating local authorities' previous arrangements, the Department provides a subsidy for the school improvement partner function within its funding to local authorities. For 2007-08, the cost of the subsidy is £15,803,938. The school improvement partner function also has a national component, mainly focused on national accreditation of school improvement partners and on quality assurance of local management of the function. For 2007-08, the cost of this national component is £7,651,200. The 2008-09 figure will certainly be lower, because in that year we will no longer have to build up the cadre of accredited school improvement partners; roll-out is due to be completed by April 2008.

School Leaving

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of  (a) young people and  (b) all people consulted by his Department (i) supported, (ii) opposed and (ii) neither supported nor opposed the Government's proposal to extend the education leaving age to 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We received a total of 473 written responses to Raising Expectations in the formal full consultation, and just under 1,000 written responses from young people in response to the magazine Reach, the additional young people's materials we developed. These included 14 group responses, representing a total of 805 young people.
	In response to the question of whether they supported the Green Paper's central proposal to raise the participation age to 18, in the written response to Raising Expectations, 44 per cent. (202 people) were in agreement with the proposal, compared to 40 per cent. (186 people) who were opposed and 16 per cent. (76 people) who were unsure.
	In the written responses to the young people's materials, 47 per cent. (450 young people) were against, 36 per cent. (345 young people) agreed and 17 per cent. (165 young people) were not sure.

School Leaving

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make an estimate of the number of 17 year olds who are likely to truant each year in the event of the school leaving age being raised to 18 years.

Jim Knight: The Department has not estimated the number of 17-year-olds likely to be absent from education or training in 2015, once we raise the participation age to 18. The Green Paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16 was published in March, setting out our proposals for all young people to continue in learning until they are 18, and a further From policy to legislation document was published on 5 November. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Under these proposals, if a young person is persistently absent from learning or drops out altogether, the learning provider will be required to inform the local authority, so that guidance services can contact the young person and support to re-engage can be provided as soon as possible.

School Leaving

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish research his Department has conducted on the capital costs of increasing the education leaving age to 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In March the Department published an Initial Regulatory Impact Assessment alongside the Green Paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16, both of which have been placed in the Library of the House. In it we anticipated that an additional £81 million would be needed to build the new facilities necessary over the years leading up to implementation. These projections are being revised and independently reviewed before being published in the Impact Assessment that will accompany the Education and Skills Bill.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of school meal costs on school meal uptake in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what targets he has set for school meal uptake for each year until 2015; what steps he is taking to reach these targets; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This Department has not made an assessment of the impact of school meal costs on school meal uptake in each of the last three years. However, increasing take-up of school lunches is a priority for this Department and for the School Food Trust (SFT). The SFT has a target to increase take-up of school lunches from a 2005-06 baseline by 4 percentage points by March 2008 and by 10 percentage points by autumn 2009. In addition, school lunch take-up is now one of the indicators in the Local Government National Indicator Set from which local authorities and their partners will agree their own targets in their Local Area Agreements.
	An additional £240 million will be available to authorities and schools between 2008 and 2011 to help keep down the cost of a school lunch and the Secretary of State recently wrote to all Headteachers and Chairs of Governors, and to all Directors of Childrens Services, urging them to actively support their school lunch services. The SFT already has activity underway to promote school lunches and generate demand, such as their Million Meals campaign; cooking clubs for parents and children; Disney posters in schools, and a teenage marketing campaign.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his estimate is of the cost of introducing the nutrient standards for school meals in each year between 2006-07 and 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In its report Turning the Tables: Transforming School Food (published in September 2005), the School Meals Review Panel (SMRP) estimated that the revenue cost (including ingredients, labour, training, marketing and waste) of introducing the new nutritional standards for school food would be £167.2 million in the first year and £158.8 million a year in subsequent years. The costs are higher in year one to reflect additional expenditure on staff training. The SMRP figures assume no increase in take-up of school meals and no efficiency savings.
	The costs of school lunches are rightly met by authorities, schools, parents and carers. However, the Government are investing an additional £500 million between 2005 and 2011 to support the improvement of school food.

Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools there are in each (i) Government region and (ii) local education authority.

Jim Knight: The available information is given in table 11 of the additional information section of SFR30/2007, Schools and Pupils in England, January 2007 (Final). This SFR was published on 27 September 2007 and can be found at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000744/index.shtml.

Schools: Capital Investment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what capital expenditure on schools per pupil was in each English  (a) region and  (b) local authority in each year from 1997-98 to 2006-07 in real terms using 2005-06 prices; and what estimate he has made of the equivalent figures for 2007-08 to 2014-15.

Jim Knight: The Department does not maintain records of capital expenditure on schools on a per pupil local authority basis. The Department has published information, in the Departmental Report 2007, on capital funding per maintained school pupil in England for the years 1997-98 to 2007-08. This is set out in the table.
	The following table is taken from Table 8.6, on page 106 of the Department for Education and Skills Departmental Report 2007.
	
		
			   Funds per maintained pupil (£) 
			   Real terms  Percentage real terms increase on 1997-98 
			  Actual   
			 1997-98 120  
			 1998-99 170 142 
			 1999-2000 220 183 
			 2000-01 340 283 
			 2001-02 350 292 
			 2002-03 500 417 
			 2003-04 570 475 
			 2004-05 660 550 
			 2005-06 700 583 
			
			  Estimated outturn   
			 2006-07 650 542 
			
			  Plans   
			 2007-08 820 683 
			  Note: Real terms figures have been calculated using the March 2007 Gross Domestic Product deflators with 2005-06 as the base year.

Schools: Crimes of Violence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were  (a) permanently and  (b) temporarily excluded from school for physical assault against (i) a pupil and (ii) an adult in (A) 2003-04, (B) 2004-05, (C) 2005-06 and (D) 2006-07.

Jim Knight: The available information is shown in the following table.
	Data for 2007/08 will be available in June 2008.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, secondary and special schools( 1,2) : Number and percentage of permanent and fixed period exclusions for assault against pupils and adultsEngland, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 
			   Number of exclusions for: 
			   Physical assault against an adult  Physical assault against a pupil 
			  2003/04   
			 Number of permanent exclusions(3) 1,190 1,720 
			 Percentage of all permanent exclusions(3,4) 12 17 
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 15,990 69,020 
			 Percentage of all fixed period exclusions(3) 5 20 
			
			  2004/05   
			 Number of permanent exclusions(3) 1,270 1,780 
			 Percentage of all permanent exclusions(3,4) 13 19 
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 18,480 80,700 
			 Percentage of all fixed period exclusions(3) 13 21 
			
			  2005/06Maintained secondary schools only( 5)   
			 Number of permanent exclusions(3) 740 1,260 
			 Percentage of all permanent exclusions(3) 9 16 
			 Number of fixed period exclusions 8,240 62,670 
			 Percentage of all fixed period exclusions 16 18 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained special schools. Excludes non-maintained special schools. (3) The number of exclusions by reason expressed as a percentage of the total number of exclusions. (4) The distribution of exclusions by reason has been derived from Termly Exclusions Survey and applied to the number of permanent exclusions as confirmed by local authorities as part of the Annual Schools Census data checking exercise. (5) For the 2005/06 school year, information on the reason for exclusion was collected via the School Census for the first time for secondary schools only (the Termly Exclusions Survey has discontinued). For exclusions during 2006/07, information on the reason for exclusion will also be collected from primary and special schools.

Schools: Fire Prevention

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families from what date all new primary and secondary schools are required to have fire sprinklers installed; and if he will publish the links to the websites containing  (a) the risk analysis and  (b) the cost-benefit analysis tools referred to in the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 308W, on schools: fire prevention.

Jim Knight: It was expected that from 1 March 2007 the designs of all new school buildings would include sprinklers unless it could be shown that there was a very low risk and therefore no benefit to install sprinklers.
	The risk analysis and the cost-benefit analysis tools will be available for download from
	http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/resourcesfinanceandbuilding/schoolbuildings/legislation/firesafetyforschools/
	on 9 November 2007.

Schools: Fire Prevention

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the statement by the Minister for Schools and Learning, the hon. Member for South Dorset (Jim Knight) in the adjournment debate on 1 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1180, on fire precautions (schools), what progress he has made in identifying the very low risk schools which do not need fire sprinklers installed; if he will detail the methodology he is using to determine risk; what very low risk schools he has already identified which do not need fire sprinklers installed; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold data on which schools do not have sprinklers installed. It is for local authorities to carry out the risk assessments. The risk assessment methodology is described in the risk assessment tools and in Building Bulletin 100.

Specialised Diplomas

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the operation of the proposed academic diplomas; how many separate subjects will have to be taught for these in respect of each diploma for those pupils above Key Stage 4; and what financial provision he proposes to make for the diplomas;
	(2)  what diplomas he intends to have in place by the years  (a) 2013 and  (b) 2015;
	(3)  what subjects will be studied by students taking the new diplomas in  (a) science,  (b) languages and  (c) humanities; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what subjects will be studied as part of the new diplomas in  (a) construction and the built environment,  (b) creative arts and media,  (c) engineering,  (d) information technology and  (e) society, health and development; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what plans he has to introduce the formal teaching of modern languages at an earlier stage in the schools system.

Jim Knight: By 2013 we will have 17 14-19 diplomas in place. We currently expect to have the same number in place by 2015.
	The policy statement attached to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families written ministerial statement of 23 October, set out our intention to establish a Diploma Development Partnership (DDP) to specify the content for each of the new diplomas, consulting with a wide range of partners and stakeholders. This will start work in the new year. In order to specify the design structure and principles within which this DDP will work, we have created an expert advisory group to work with us over the next few months to develop the DDP terms of reference.
	Students following any of the diploma programmes will have the opportunity to study a broad spectrum of topics relevant to their chosen sector, or area of study. The core of each diploma is the Principal Learning element. All students will also undertake a programme of generic learning which includes personal, learning and thinking skills and functional skills (in English, maths and information technology). diploma students will be able to personalise their learning by adding Additional and Specialist Learning, which can develop depth and breadth of study. The personalisation of each students learning programme is a key feature of the diploma structure.
	Curriculum guidance has been published for the first five diplomas, ahead of first teaching in September 2008. The full specifications for each of the first five lines of learning , accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, can be viewed on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications at:
	http://www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk/DiplomaCatalogueSelection.aspx
	Indicative levels of funding for 2008-11 for 14-19 learning, including diplomas, have been identified within the Governments comprehensive spending review (CSR). The details of the additional funds to be allocated for diplomas are being finalised as part of firming up precise allocations within the indicative settlement. We expect to be able to announce levels of funding available by the new year, well before the end of the 2007-08 financial year.

Teachers: Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether the teachers' pension scheme is funded out of the budget for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Teachers' Pensions Scheme (TPS) is an unfunded scheme. The budget for the associated costs is contained in the separate Teachers' Pension Scheme (England and Wales) Supply Estimate which is managed by this Department. The total income and expenditure are classed as Departmental Resource Annually Managed Expenditure (AME).
	The budget in the Supply Estimate covers the following non-cash costs:
	Current service cost (increase in the pension scheme liability as a result of teachers' service in the current year)
	Interest on scheme liabilities (unwinding the discount on the scheme liability)
	Increase in the pensions liability as a result of purchase of added years or transfers in from other pension schemes
	Increase in the premature retirement liability
	The expenditure is largely offset by income from employers and members, in the form of contributions.
	The pension benefits paid to retired teachers and costs related to groups and individuals transferring out of the scheme are met from the pension liability provision on the balance sheet and do not score in a departmental expenditure limit.

Teachers: Working Hours

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average number of hours worked per week was for  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school teachers in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The following table details the estimated average total hours worked per week by full-time teachers over the last five years. The fall in hours worked by secondary heads and deputy heads from 2006 to 2007 is statistically significant; no other categories of teacher saw a significant change in the hours they worked between 2006 and 2007.
	
		
			  Total hours worked per week 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Primary  
			 Head teachers 55.5 55.6 52.9 53.5 54.2 
			 Deputy heads 56.4 55.7 55.7 53.4 51.4 
			 Classroom teachers 51.8 52.5 50.9 50.1 51.5 
			   
			  Secondary  
			 Head teachers 60.9 60.8 62.6 65.1 57.6 
			 Deputy head 56.5 54.1 58.1 61.0 53.6 
			 Heads of faculty/department 52.7 51.6 51.2 51.5 50.2 
			 Classroom teachers 50.8 49.9 49.3 49.1 48.7 
			  Note: The estimates are derived from the diary returns of about 2,000 randomly selected teachers in primary, secondary and special schools in England and Wales. In 2007, the diaries were completed during a single week in March; in previous years the survey ran in comparable weeks. Total hours worked include the time taken to complete the diary which on average took about an hour. 
		
	
	The changes in total hours that are statistically significant (at 95 per cent. level) are for:
	Primary deputy heads between 2007 and estimates for all previous years.
	Primary classroom teachers between 2007 and 2004.
	Secondary head teachers between 2007 and estimates for all previous years.
	Secondary deputy heads between 2007 and all previous estimates except 2004.
	Secondary heads of faculty/department between 2007 and 2003.
	Secondary classroom teachers between 2007 and 2003.
	The full report for the School Teachers Review Body on Teachers workloads diary survey, 2007 can be found at:
	http://www.ome.uk.com/Document/Default.aspx?DocumentUid=2CCAFC98-4DAE-4EB9-ACD4-B124100A7890

Truancy: Hampshire

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the level of truancy was by  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in local education authorities in (i) Hampshire, (ii) Southampton and (iii) Portsmouth in each year since 1997, broken down by sex; how many days were lost; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department does not maintain records of truancy. Unauthorised absence is absence without leave from a teacher or other authorised representative of the school. This includes all unexplained or unjustified absences, such as lateness, holidays during term time not authorised by the school, absence where reason is not yet established and truancy.
	The available information is provided in the tables and relates to a selection of years between 1997/98 to 2005/06.
	The first year for which absence rates by gender are available is 2005/06. The coverage of this information is secondary schools only. Absence rates by gender for 2006/07 will be available in February 2008, and the scope will extend to also include primary schools.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools( 1) : Percentage of half days missed 1997/98,1999/2000, 2001/02, 2003/04, Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton local authority areas 2004/05 
			   Primary schools  Secondary schools 
			   Percentage of half days missed:  Percentage of half days missed: 
			   Due to authorised absence  Due to unauthorised absence  Due to authorised absence  Due to unauthorised absence 
			  Hampshire local authority area 
			 1997/98 4.9 0.3 6.9 0.8 
			 1999/2000 4.5 0.3 6.6 0.8 
			 2001/02 4.7 0.4 7.0 1.1 
			 2003/04 4.5 0.3 6.4 1.1 
			 2004/05 4.7 0.3 6.2 1.2 
			  Southampton local authority area 
			 1997/98 6.0 0.9 7.9 1.1 
			 1999/2000 5.7 0.8 8.5 1.1 
			 2001/02 6.3 0.8 8.7 1.3 
			 2003/04 5.6 0.7 7.7 1.2 
			 2004/05 5.7 0.8 7.4 1.9 
			  Portsmouth local authority area 
			 1997/98 6.6 0.8 9.5 1.9 
			 1999/2000 5.4 0.8 8.4 1.8 
			 2001/02 5.4 0.7 9.4 1.6 
			 2003/04 5.1 0.8 8.2 1.9 
			 2004/05 5.2 0.8 7.5 1.8 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed.  Source: Survey of Absence in Schools 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained secondary schools( 1) : Pupil absence by gender( 2 ) 2005/06 
			   Secondary schools 
			   Percentage of half days missed: 
			   D ue to authorised absence  D ue to unauthorised absence  D ue to overall absence 
			  Hampshire local authority area
			 Boys 6.45 1.41 7.86 
			 Girls 6.85 1.44 8.29 
			 Total 6.65 1.42 8.07 
			  Southampton local authority area
			 Boys 7.23 2.12 9.35 
			 Girls 7.35 1.93 9.28 
			 Total 7.29 2.02 9.31 
			  Portsmouth local authority area
			 Boys 7.92 2.15 10.07 
			 Girls 7.60 2.67 10.28 
			 Total 7.76 2.41 10.17 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes pupils aged five to 15. Excludes boarders.  Source:  School Census

Vocational Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on his Departments plans to place new duties on employers in relation to education and training for young people between the ages of 16 and 18 years.

Jim Knight: We will legislate through the Education and Skills Bill, announced in the Queens Speech last week, to require all young people to continue in education or training until the age of 18, from 2015. There will be no duties on employers if they employ a 16 or 17-year-old for less than 20 hours a week, or if they provide accredited training. If they employ a young person for more than that, without training, the young person will need to provide evidence that they are in learning before they can start employment, and the employer will need to check this. The employer will also need to release the young person from work for the equivalent of a day each week so that they can train elsewhere, and will not be required to pay them for this time.
	The Secretary of State and I published the document Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16From policy to legislation on 5 November. This sets out our plans to raise the participation age and the aspects that require a change in the law. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental Manpower

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many and what proportion of his departmental staff were previously employed by other departments, broken down by the other departments concerned.

David Lammy: The Department was created as part of the machinery of government changes announced on 28 June 2007. The change involved the transfer of 536 staff from the Department for Education and Skills (a proportion of 69 per cent. of the staff) and 243 staff from the Department of Trade and Industry (31 per cent. of staff).

Departmental Manpower

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of staff formerly employed by the Department for Education and Skills is now employed by his Department.

David Lammy: 69 per cent. of staff in the Department were formerly employed in the Department for Education and Skills.

Departmental Pay

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will list the 10 highest salaries paid by his Department and its predecessor since January 2007.

David Lammy: The Department was created as a result of the machinery of government changes in June.
	The top 10 highest paid salaries for staff transferring to the new Department are detailed in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Number  Annual salary 
			 1 154,053.00 
			 2 151,137.00 
			 3 131,963.00 
			 4 131,589.00 
			 5 128,250.00 
			 6 115,265.00 
			 7 112,200.00 
			 8 105,280.00 
			 9 98,820.00 
			 10 98,773.00

Departmental Pay

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the total wage cost was of his Department's predecessor in 1997; and what it is expected to be for his Department in 2007.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) came into existence this year and we are, therefore, unable to provide total wage costs back to 1997. We estimate that the total paybill outturn for DIUS in 2007-08 will be around £47million.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of serious alcohol dependency in the general population was in each of the last 10 years; and what the expenditure was on treatment and rehabilitation for people dependent on alcohol outside the criminal justice system over the same period.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project published in November 2005, found that in 2003-04, a total of £217 million was being invested by the national health service and local authorities in specialist alcohol treatment. In that year, 63,000 people received treatment for alcohol-related disorders and around 1.1 million people were actually dependent on alcohol.

Animal Experiments

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold discussions with wholesale manufacturers of health products to introduce mandatory labelling for products that have been  (a) tested on animals and  (b) not tested on animals.

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have no plans to meet with pharmaceutical companies to discuss this issue.
	Medical Devices are regulated under the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 which transpose three main European Union medical devices directives into UK law. The regulations control the first placing on the market and/ or putting into service of medical devices by manufacturers. The directives place various labelling requirements on medical device manufacturers but these do not include the requirement to indicate whether the device was tested on animals or not. To make such a requirement mandatory would require a change to European legislation.

Campylobacter

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the transmission routes of  (a) campylobacter and  (b) listeria in the human population.

Dawn Primarolo: Published figures on trends in indigenous foodborne disease and deaths in England and Wales, 1992-2000(1) include estimates that 80 per cent. of  Campylobacter and 99 per cent. of  Listeria monocytogenes infections in humans are foodborne.
	Laboratory confirmed  Campylobacter and  Listeria monocytogenes human infections are monitored as part of the Food Standards Agencys strategy to reduce foodborne disease.
	 Source:
	(1) Adak GK, Long SM, OBrien S. Trends in indigenous foodborne disease and deaths, England and Wales:1992 to 2000. Gut 2002;51:832-841.

Cancer: Screening

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the attendance rate for  (a) breast cancer,  (b) cervical cancer and  (c) bowel cancer screening in each year since 2000 was, broken down by primary care trust.

Ann Keen: holding answer 13 November 2007
	 The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Chiropody

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether NHS chiropody services are defined as health care;
	(2)  if the Government will make an assessment of standards of chiropody services provided by primary care trusts.

Ann Keen: Chiropody services provided by the national health service are health care.
	There are no plans to carry out a central assessment of chiropody services. It is for primary care trusts in partnership with local stakeholders to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, outlined in the national service frameworks and to commission services accordingly. This process provides the means for addressing local needs within the health community, including the provision of chiropody.

Dental Services

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the General Dental Council on whether dental bleaching may be carried out by qualified hygienists or qualified dental auxiliaries after training by a dentist  (a) in a surgery and  (b) at a patient's home using surgery-supplied equipment.

Ann Keen: holding answer 12 November 2007
	Under the policy of successive governments that healthcare professions like medicine and dentistry should be self-regulating, the General Dental Council (GDC) is independent of Government. I understand that the GDC considers that tooth whitening constitutes the practice of dentistry and that only registered dentists are suitably trained and competent to carry it out. Dental professionals are required to practice within their respective professional boundaries and to only undertake work which they are trained and competent to do. Any registrant who undertakes work for which they are not sufficiently competent risks fitness to practice proceedings. However, I also understand that the General Dental Council is currently reviewing the scope of practice of dentists and dental care professionals and expects to consult on its proposals in 2008.

Dental Services

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes to the system of dental contracts the NHS Dental Contract Implementation Group have introduced in the last 12 months; and what changes they plan to introduce in the next 12 months.

Ann Keen: holding answer 12 November 2007
	The Implementation Review Group (IRG) is an external key stakeholder group set up by Ministers to monitor and provide feedback to the Department on the implementation of the reforms. It is for the Department rather than the IRG or any other external stakeholder group to make or plan policy changes.
	The role of IRG, which is chaired by the chief dental officer and includes representatives of the dental profession, citizens' organisations and the national health service, is to ensure that key stakeholders have an appropriate collective voice in discussions with the Department on the dental system.

Departmental Board

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) dates,  (b) locations and  (c) costs were of the last four away days of his Departments Departmental Board.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Date  Location  Cost (including VAT) (£) 
			 3/4 May 2007 Thistle Victoria 4,210.00 
			  Buckingham Palace Road  
			  London  
			  SW1W OSJ  
			 25 September 2006 Department of Health 611.00 
			  Skipton House  
			  80 London Road  
			  London  
			  SE1 6LH  
			 6/7 April 2006 Great Fosters 3,878.55 
			  Stroude Road  
			  Egham  
			  Surrey  
			  TW20 9UR  
			 6/7 October 2005 Great Fosters 3,705.00 
			  Stroude Road  
			  Egham  
			  Surrey  
			  TW20 9UR

Health Services: Elderly

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has issued guidance to primary care trusts on commissioning health services for the elderly since March 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Commissioning Framework for Health and Well-Being was published for consultation on 7 March 2007. This framework builds on the White Paper Our Health, Our Care, Our Say.

Healthcare Commission

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints have been referred to the Healthcare Commission for independent review in each of the last five financial years.

Ben Bradshaw: The Healthcare Commission assumed responsibility for the second (independent review) stage of national health service complaints at the end of July 2004. The number of cases received since then is shown as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 (part year only) 5,867 
			 2005-06 7,644 
			 2006-07 7,696 
			 2007-08 (as at 2 November) 4,589

Hearing Aids: Eastern Region

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the most recent waiting times are for digital hearing aid assessment for each primary care trust in the east of England.

Ivan Lewis: Data on waiting times for diagnostic audiological assessments for each primary care trust in the east of England in August 2007 are available in the following tables:
	
		
			  Primary care trust  Audiological assessments total waiting over six weeks 
			 Luton PCT 38 
			 South-east Essex 15 
			 Bedfordshire 113 
			 East and north Hertfordshire 87 
			 West Hertfordshire 889 
			 Peterborough 11 
			 Cambridgeshire 389 
			 Norfolk 397 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney Teaching 7 
			 Suffolk 107 
			 West Essex 311 
			 North-east Essex 164 
			 Mid-Essex 27 
			 South-west Essex Teaching 32 
			   
			 East of England 2,587 
		
	
	
		
			  Strategic health authority  Audiological assessments total waiting over six weeks 
			 North-east 7,840 
			 North-west 8,112 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7,108 
			 East Midlands 5,170 
			 West Midlands 12,077 
			 East of England 2,587 
			 London 6,339 
			 South-east coast 9,067 
			 South-central 5,087 
			 South-west 11,788 
			   
			 England total 75,175 
			  Source: Department of Health Monthly Diagnostics

NHS Direct

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls NHS Direct has received in each year since the service was established.

Ben Bradshaw: The information is available in the following table:
	
		
			   Calls received (000)  Visits to NHS Direct Online (000) 
			 1998-99 110 0 
			 1999-2000 1,650 0 
			 2000-01 3,420 1,500 
			 2001-02 5,213 2,028 
			 2002-03 6,319 3,972 
			 2003-04 6,405 6,542 
			 2004-05 6,586 9,285 
			 2005-06 6,810 13,537 
			 2006-07 6,354 19,280

NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the citizen and patient representatives on the board of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.

Dawn Primarolo: The citizen and patient representative on the board of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement is Professor Tony Butterworth (non-executive Director).
	A number of approaches have been adopted to enable stakeholders to influence the work of the NHS Institute including an involvement framework that sets out its commitment to working with patients and the public.
	As part of this framework the NHS Institute has invited key stakeholders, patient representatives, voluntary sector representatives and NHS Institute staff to meet as an "Involvement Think Tank' to help it take the involvement agenda forward.

NHS: Drugs

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to announce the commissioning of new research into the scale, costs and causes of waste medicines to inform policy development for influencing both health professionals and members of the public to reduce the amount of unwanted medicines as referred to in the answer of 12 September 2007,  Official Report, column 2084W, on primary care trusts: drugs.

Dawn Primarolo: Organisations have been invited to submit outline proposals on how to investigate the scale, costs and causes of waste medicines, to inform the development of Government policy for influencing both health professionals and members of the public to reduce the amount of unwanted medicines and provide value for money for the national health service. Invitations to tender were placed in  The Guardian on 16 October 2007 and in the  Health Service Journal on 25 October 2007.

NHS: Reform

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he expects the cost of the clinical summit meeting being organised by Lord Darzi in London on 21 and 22 November 2007 to be.

Ann Keen: holding answer 12 November 2007
	The arrangements for the clinical summit are ongoing and the final costs are not yet available.

Nurses: Foreign Workers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued to the NHS in relation to the hiring of non-EU/EEA nurses.

Ann Keen: In 2004 the Department issued the code of practice for the international recruitment of healthcare professionals. This provides a framework for the ethical recruitment and employment of all international healthcare professionals including nurses.
	NHS Employers, established in late 2004, is responsible for the publication of practical guidance and advice on workforce issues including the hiring of non-European Union/European economic area nurses.

Nurses: Prescriptions

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of nurses in the NHS have been able to prescribe medicines in each year since 1997 for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not collect figures for nurse prescribers centrally. Latest figures provided by the Nursing and Midwifery Council show that there were over 10,800 qualified nurse independent prescribers and almost 27,000 qualified community practitioner nurse prescribers as at 1 November 2007.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to grant free prescriptions for people with  (a) asthma and  (b) other long-term illnesses; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: People are entitled to free prescriptions in respect of a number of long-term medical conditions, if they hold a valid medical exemption certificate. Asthma is not one of these long-term conditions.
	The Government's review of prescription charges will be inviting views later this autumn on options for changes to prescription charges that are cost neutral to the national health service.

South East Coast Strategic Health Authority: Marketing

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the total expenditure of the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority, and its predecessor bodies, was on  (a) public relations agencies,  (b) public affairs agencies,  (c) advertising agencies,  (d) direct marketing agencies and  (e) other external communications agencies in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what the total expenditure of West Sussex Primary Care Trust and its predecessor organisations was on external communications agencies in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what contracts the South East Coast Strategic Health Authority has with  (a) public relations agencies,  (b) public affairs agencies,  (c) advertising agencies and  (d) direct marketing agencies;
	(4)  what contracts West Sussex Primary Care Trust has with  (a) public relations agencies,  (b) public affairs agencies,  (c) advertising agencies and  (d) direct marketing agencies.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not held centrally. However, the hon. Member should contact the local national health service organisations who may be able to provide this information direct.

Thalidomide

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what costs were borne by social services associated with the special adaptation of homes and other facilities for those affected by Thalidomide in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what costs were borne by social services associated with providing carers and personal assistants for those affected by Thalidomide in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  what direct medical costs were associated with the treatment of the parents of those affected by Thalidomide for conditions associated with their child's condition borne by the NHS in each of the last 10 years;
	(4)  how much in direct medical costs was borne by the NHS associated with the treatment of those affected by Thalidomide in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 12 November 2007
	Information on the cost of health and social care provision, broken down by specific conditions, is not collected.

West Sussex Primary Care Trust

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all representations made relating to the West Sussex Primary Care Trusts Fit for the Future consultation before 26 July 2007 will be considered.

Dawn Primarolo: We would expect West Sussex Primary Care Trust to consider representations made to the PCT both in the pre-consultation phase and in the formal consultation phase.

Worthing Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on ambulance transfer times in Sussex of the closure of accident and emergency services at Worthing Hospital.

Dawn Primarolo: It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) in conjunction with other local stakeholders and their strategic health authorities (SHAs) to make assessments of current and future health needs and to commission services accordingly. South East Coast SHA has advised our officials that in this case West Sussex PCT has carried out the assessment.
	The hon. Member may wish to approach the PCT directly on this matter.

JUSTICE

Buildings: Access

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which buildings occupied by his Department  (a) are and  (b) are not fully accessible to people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice is presently preparing a new Disability Equality Scheme, which includes what we are doing, and intend to do to continue to make our services and buildings accessible to disabled people. This is due to be published in the new year.
	Over recent years the Department has taken a number of steps to make our services and buildings accessible to disabled people. This includes a major programme of works undertaken to ensure all Crown and county courts support disabled people, provision of dedicated parking facilities, hearing loops and personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled staff and visitors to our main HQ buildings. In addition HM Court Service are starting a major programme of works to improve current magistrates court accommodation.
	All buildings within HM Prison Service are currently compliant with DDA requirements, both physically and procedurally. Where there are access difficulties whether they be a visitor, staff or prisoner, HMPS is committed to make reasonably adjustments to its arrangements and manage any eventuality that may occur.
	Where there are access difficulties for disabled people, the department makes appropriate reasonable adjustments to its arrangements for the recruitment and employment of staff, and the services and functions it delivers to its users, in accordance with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
	The MOJ estate is made up of a number of new, modern and historic buildings, not all of which are considered to be fully accessible to disabled people. Where there are access or use difficulties on the current estate, MOJ seeks to make it services and facilities available by other means.
	No central data are currently held on the number of buildings across the estate that fully support access and use by disabled staff.

Courts Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much HM Courts Service spent in 2006-07 on civilian fines officers; and how much the civilian fines officers recovered in the same period.

Maria Eagle: In 2006-07 Her Majesty's Courts Service spent a total of £72.5 million on criminal enforcement activity. This expenditure was used to fund the day to day enforcement costs, such as the salaries of court enforcement officers, fines officers and administrative staff, training for staff and IT running costs.
	The amount of cash collected for the same period in respect of financial impositions, which include fines, costs, compensation and the victims surcharge, was £245 million.
	It is not possible to identify how much of the above civilian fines officers were responsible for recovering.

Legal Aid: Northern Ireland

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to increase access to legal aid in criminal cases in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: In Northern Ireland the judiciary are responsible for determining applications for criminal legal aid applying the statutory tests of whether the applicant has insufficient means and the interests of justice.
	In 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 97 per cent. of defendants who applied were granted criminal legal aid. There is therefore no evidence to suggest that there is a need to increase access to criminal legal aid.

Magistrates Courts

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates courts in England and Wales have access to full Libra functionality.

Maria Eagle: Significant progress has been made this year with Libra rollout. 67 of approximately 370 courts are operating with full Libra functionality, with over 20 per cent. of court staff now using the system. A further 16 courts are due to be live before the end of 2007 and rollout is scheduled to be complete by the end of December 2008.

Magistrates: Public Appointments

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what changes have been made to the process of selecting magistrates in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: The only change made in the last three years was in February 2006 to introduce a scoring system at the second interview.

Prison Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the governing governor of HM Young Offender Institution Feltham is to be appointed as an area manager within HM Prison Service; whether this is a managed move; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: There are no vacancies for area manager posts in the Prison Service, but if the governing governor of Feltham wishes to apply for such a post in the future it is open to her to do so.

Prison Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the exceptional circumstances were that led the Deputy Director General of HM Prison Service to authorise the managed move of  (a) Phil Riley to HM Prison Buckley Hall,  (b) Paul Baker to change manager at HM Prison Pentonville,  (c) Paul Baker to Deputy Governor at HM Prison Pentonville and  (d) Gary Deighton to HM Prison Service Professional Standards Unit; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: There were no exceptional circumstances surrounding any of these appointments. Within the public sector Prison Service approximately half of all appointments at senior manager level are made by way of managed appointments as opposed to an internal advertisement. The service has a clear policy on managed appointments at this level and all of these appointments were consistent with the policy and its objectives.
	It is not appropriate to comment on individual appointments or transfers which frequently take into account personal circumstances or developmental issues as well as any particular individual skills that a person might bring to a post.

Prison Service

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what correspondence has been received by HM Prison Service from Ron Tasker on the commissioning of the investigation that he is carrying out; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: On 17 April 2007 Ron Tasker wrote a note to Nick Pascoe, London area manager to seek clarification of who the Commissioning Authority for the investigation was. This is the only recorded correspondence received by HM Prison Service from Mr. Tasker relating to commissioning of the investigation.

Prisoners: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what drug testing is done on prisoners upon  (a) arrival and  (b) leaving prison.

David Hanson: Some prisons undertake reception testing as part of their mandatory drug testing programme. Prisoners newly received into prison are subject to clinical health assessment, and voluntary indicative drug testing is part of that process. There is no system to test all prisoners before final release. Prisoners may be subjected to mandatory drug testing prior to release on temporary licence as part of a risk assessment. During custody prisoners can be subject to clinical testing, voluntary testing as part of a compact to remain drug free, and random or targeted mandatory drug testing.

Prisoners: Drugs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of people who have developed a drug addiction in prison over the last 10 years.

David Hanson: A comprehensive drug treatment framework is in place in prisons which includes offering harm minimisation advice and encouraging prisoners to stay off drugs. The framework is supported by measures to keep drugs out of prison. The covert nature of drug taking means that it is impossible to measure directly the number of people who develop a drug addiction in prison. Research evidence suggests that about one in five men and fewer than one in 10 women, who had used at least one of six drugs (cannabis, heroin, illicit methadone, amphetamine, crack and cocaine) reported first using one of them in prison.
	Research also shows that the level of drug misuse falls dramatically compared with use prior to imprisonment and that prison is one of the key influences in getting people off drugs. Overall, prison contributes to a reduction in drug misuse for the majority of prisoners.

Prisoners: Fingerprints

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to his answer of 17 May 2007,  Official Report, column 873W, on Prison Service, whether inmates are fingerprinted on reception at  (a) HM Prison Brixton,  (b) HM Prison Holloway,  (c) HM Prison Pentonville,  (d) HM Prison Wandsworth,  (e) HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs and  (f) HM Young Offender Institute Feltham; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Of these prisons, HMP Holloway is currently the only prison which routinely fingerprints prisoners on reception into custody.

Prisoners: Fingerprints

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to his answer of 17 May 2007,  Official Report, column 873W, on Prison Service, whether all prison establishments are required to fingerprint prisoners on reception; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: My Departments policy is that all prisoners, with the exception of those committed into custody for a non-payment of a fine, should be fingerprinted upon their first reception to any prison establishment after their conviction. The effectiveness and future strategy of fingerprinting processes within the Prison Service is to be examined, taking into account any additional benefit gained from these processes over the fingerprinting already carried out by the police.

Prisoners: Ireland

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to amend prison rules, orders and instructions relating to Irish prisoners following abolition of the Common Travel Area.

Maria Eagle: There are no plans to abolish the Common Travel Area.

Prisoners: Nationality

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign prisoners were held in jails in Kent on 31 October.

David Hanson: The figures requested are published quarterly at the Ministry of Justice website at:
	www.justice.gov.uk.
	The following table shows the latest available data, from the publication Population in Custody Monthly Tables September 2007 England and Wales (Table 4).
	
		
			 Foreign national prisoners in prison establishments in Kent, 30 September 2007 
			  Establishment  Foreign nationals  UK nationals  Nationality not recorded  Total 
			 Blantyre House 1 117 1 119 
			 Canterbury 259 15 2 276 
			 Cookham Wood 0 12 0 12 
			 East Sutton Park(1) 13 77 0 90 
			 Elmley 173 797 15 985 
			 Maidstone 99 378 3 480 
			 Rochester 56 329 1 386 
			 Standford Hill 30 368 0 398 
			 Swaleside 165 603 1 769 
			 (1) East Sutton Park is a womens prison.  Source: Figures taken from monthly published statistics at:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/pop-in-custody-sep07.xls 
		
	
	Dover Immigration Removal Centre is excluded from this table because it holds only those detained under immigration powers, not those serving custodial sentences.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Reoffenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if his Department will use the re-offending rates of those released from approved premises in measuring the effectiveness of those premises.

Maria Eagle: It would not be viable or meaningful to use re-offending rates as a measure of the effectiveness of approved premises. Most offenders accommodated in approved premises are under the supervision of offender managers and subject to a range of controls and interventions. The work done in the approved premises forms one part of an integrated package of supervision. In considering re-offending rates, it would be impossible to isolate the effects of the period of residence in approved premises from the impact of other components.
	There would be additional methodological difficulties in trying to gather meaningful re-offending data on offenders who have completed a period of residence in approved premises. These include the relatively small number of offenders accommodated in approved premises, the long follow-up period that would be required given the profile of the offender group, and problems in finding a matched control group with whom meaningful comparisons could be drawn.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department has issued on the regard to be given to time spent on remand when sentencing those convicted of more than one offence where time spent on remand has already been taken into account in relation to sentencing for a separate offence; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Home Office Circulars 20/2005 (Criminal Justice Act 2003 Commencement Order No8, paragraphs 80 to 85) and 37/2005 (Crediting Periods of Remand in Custody: Section 240 Criminal Justice Act 2003) provide guidance to courts that preserves the principles of crediting remand time that were applied by the Prison Service prior to the commencement of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Additional guidance is contained in Chapter 4 of Prison Service Order 6650 (Sentence Calculation) as amended by para 18.4 of Prison Service Instruction 13/2005 (Amendments to PSO 6650 Sentence Calculation) and Prison Service Instruction 07/2007 (Sentence Calculation - providing Remand Information to Courts). The guidance reflects the intention that remand time should be counted only once; and that it should be counted only where an offender is not otherwise detained.
	The Home Office Circulars are available on the Home Office website and the Prison Service Order and Instructions are published on the HM Prison Service website.

Sentencing: Domestic Violence

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research has been used to formulate sentencing options in cases of domestic violence where there are  (a) male perpetrators with female victims,  (b) female perpetrators with male victims,  (c) male perpetrators with male victims and  (d) female perpetrators with female victims; what sentencing options are available in such cases; what training is provided to magistrates in each category of domestic violence; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: There are no specific offences of domestic violence and violent offences that take place in a domestic context will be charged as general offences of violence. No specific research has been undertaken to inform sentencing of offenders who have committed domestic violence. However, the Sentencing Guidelines Council has made clear in its Definitive Guideline Overarching Principles: Domestic Violence, effective from 18 December 2006, that offences committed in a domestic context should be regarded as being no less serious than offences committed in a non-domestic context; rather that, because an offence has been committed in a domestic context, there are likely to be aggravating factors present that make it more serious. Magistrates receive general training in application of sentencing guidelines.

Sentencing: Firearms

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of people convicted of carrying an illegal firearm under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 received the mandatory sentence established by the Act in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004,  (c) 2005 and  (d) 2006, broken down by age group;
	(2)  what the average sentence of those convicted of carrying an illegal firearm under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 was in each of the last four years.

Maria Eagle: The minimum five year sentence (three years for those aged 16 or 17) came into force on 22 January 2004. The available information, relating to England and Wales for 2004 and 2005, is contained in the table as follows.
	Figures for 2006 will be available in December.
	
		
			  Persons( 1)  sentenced for firearms possession offences involving mandatory custodial sentences, England and Wales 
			Of which: 5 years or over( 2)  
			  Offence  Statutes  Year  Age group  Total persons sentenced  Persons given immediate custody  N umber  Percentage  of total sentenced  Average custodial sentence length (months) 
			 Possessing or distributing prohibited weapons or ammunition or firearm disguised as other object. Firearms Act 1968 sections 5(1)(a), (ab), (aba), (ac), (ad), (ae), (af) or (c) and section 5(1 A)(a) as amended by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 section 287. 2004(3) 16-17 49 10 5 10.2 25.0 
			18-20 122 35 13 10.7 39.5 
			21 + 565 206 63 11.2 35.3 
			Total 736 251 81 11.0 35.3 
			  
			   2005 16-17 32 9 4 12.5 26.0 
			18-20 59 34 18 30.5 45.5 
			21 + 294 199 124 42.2 48.6 
			Total 385 242 146 37.9 47.3 
			 (1) Principal offence basis. (2) 3 years in the case of persons aged 16-17. (3) Many of the persons dealt with in 2004 will have committed their offences prior to the mandatory sentence being introduced in January 2004.  Source:  RDS-NOMS, Home Office

Television: Licenses

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reasons for applying a victim surcharge on fines for a non-payment of a TV licence are.

Maria Eagle: At present, the surcharge is payable by all offenders who commit an offence on or after 1 April 2007 and whose sentence is, or includes, a fine, irrespective of the offence or offences that led to conviction. Offenders who are fined for TV licence evasion are accordingly treated in the same way as offenders who are fined for other offences. We do not think they should be treated differently.

Victims: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the purpose was of the internal audit of the operation of the victim's surcharge; whether magistrates were involved in the audit; and what conclusions have been reached.

Maria Eagle: The internal audit is being conducted as part of a 2007-08 annual audit programme. The purpose of the audit is to review the application and effectiveness of procedures applied in magistrates courts in relation to the processing and accounting of the victim's surcharge. Magistrates have not been directly involved in the audit. Court records are being examined to establish that the surcharge has been ordered in all appropriate cases and that all judicial cancellations of the surcharge are supported by sufficient and appropriate evidence. The internal audit is still in progress and no final conclusions have been reached. It is anticipated that the results of the internal audit will be reported in December.

Victims: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been collected via the victim's surcharge since inception; where the funds raised are held; what plans there are for use of such funding; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: As at the end of September some £695,323 in receipts have been collected, since the victims surcharge came into operation on 1 April 2007. Arrangements have been made in the impending winter supplementary estimates for the receipts in question to be appropriated in aid against the Ministry of Justice estimates.
	Money from the surcharge is being used to help fund organisations and schemes providing a range of emotional and practical support services to victims of crime and witnesses.

Victims: Compensation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the representations he has received on the victims surcharge since its inception were in favour of it .

Maria Eagle: Since its inception, we have received 90 pieces of correspondence about the surcharge, 76 through MPs. Of the 90, 12 pieces of correspondence were pursuant to earlier correspondence on the matter.
	Of the 90, one correspondent expressed support and three expressed no view. The rest expressed some unhappiness with, or opposition to, at least one aspect of the surcharge on fines.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which police forces in England and Wales have  (a) declined to deploy,  (b) not yet begun to deploy and  (c) not yet completed deployment of the Violent and Sex Offender Register; and how the work of the Probation Service has been affected by declinations to deploy.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	ViSOR (formerly known as the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register) is deployed in all police forces in England and Wales.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how the ability of the police in England and Wales to access, evaluate and share information with probation services in the United Kingdom has been affected by the establishment of the Violent and Sex Offender Register.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	Roll-out of ViSOR (formerly known as the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register) to the Probation Service is in its infancy, so there is yet to be a marked effect on information sharing between police and probation services. However, in areas where the system has been piloted, the key benefits have related to having a single, confidential database of information and intelligence on persons posing a risk of harm to the public and the probation service having more timely and full access to data that would have previously been held within police systems.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the training database for the Violent and Sex Offender Register is available to all police forces in England and Wales.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	The training database for ViSOR (formerly known as the Violent Offender and Sex Offender Register) is available in all police forces in England and Wales.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-Terrorism Control Orders

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions may be placed on an individual who is the subject of a control order.

Tony McNulty: Obligations may be imposed by a control order if they are considered necessary for purposes connected with preventing or restricting involvement, by that individual, in terrorism-related activity. An illustrative, but not exhaustive, list of obligations is set out in section 1(4) to (8) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005. Specific conditions imposed under a control order are tailored to the individual concerned and must be necessary and proportionate in each case.

Asylum: Homelessness

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of asylum seekers living on the streets; and if she will restore the provision of section 95 support to refused asylum seekers.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 November 2007
	The Government do not keep figures of the number of asylum seekers living on the streets in the UK. However, destitute asylum seekers may apply to the Border and Immigration Agency for support under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Where support is provided under section 95 it continues throughout the duration of an asylum claim provided the person remains eligible.
	Where an asylum claim is unsuccessful, section 95 support is discontinued for single people and childless couples. However, it continues for those unsuccessful asylum seeking families with a child, until the child reaches the age of 18 (provided the youngest child was under 18 at the time of final determination of the asylum claim).
	There is no reason why any asylum seeker should be living on the streets, as they may apply for support if they are destitute. Those whose application has failed who are temporarily unable to leave the UK may be eligible for support under section 4 of the 1999 Act. Otherwise they are expected to return home.

Border and Immigration Agency

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people the Border and Immigration Agency employs in  (a) Gloucestershire,  (b) the South West and  (c) Wales to ensure that foreign workers are employed legally.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 November 2007
	 The Border and Immigration Agency Wales and South West Region employs a total of approximately 350 staff in six offices in Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol, Poole, Plymouth and Mostyn (North Wales). In addition there are 21 police officers seconded to assist with enforcement operations. Enforcement officers carried out 286 illegal working operations in the region between April-October 2007, 221 of which were successful in terms of locating illegal foreign workers. In addition there are a total of 11 managed migration staff attached to the region who carry out work in relation to the points-based system for grading bona-fide employers. Further to this both intelligence and operational staff carry out visits to employers that are both educational and operational in that they instruct employers with regard to their obligations under the 1996 Immigration Act and obtain details of staff in order to carry out checks on their immigration status.

British Nationality: English Language

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the pass rate in the English language tests for those seeking UK citizenship has been in each year since the inception of the tests.

Liam Byrne: The knowledge of life (KOL) test was introduced in November 2005 for citizenship applicants. The pass rates for the tests are as follows:
	The pass rate for 2005 (October to December) was 71 per cent.
	The pass rate for 2006 was 67.6 per cent.
	The pass rate for 2007 (January to October) was 67.4 per cent.
	The information is based on the information provided by applicants when taking their test. In April 2007 the Home Office extended the knowledge of life test to those applying for settlement in the UK.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link: Security

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements the Government has made to maintain and improve immigration and security operations on the Channel Tunnel rail link in preparation for Ebbsfleet International Station opening; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Following agreements signed with the French Government in 2000 and the Belgian Government in 2004, UK immigration controls on Eurostar passengers from Paris, Lille, Calais Frethun and Brussels are now undertaken at those stations prior to the train departing for the UK. As a result of the introduction of these juxtaposed controls immigration officers are now able to stop individuals with false, stolen or inadequate documents or those who do not have permission to enter the UK before they can board trains to any of the Eurostar stations in Britain; this includes the new stations of St. Pancras and Ebbsfleet. The opening of these new stations does not reduce the effectiveness of juxtaposed controls. We are also able to deploy immigration officers to any UK Eurostar station to mount inbound controls, either to test the risk on certain services or, if necessary, as an emergency response.
	The Channel Tunnel (Security) Order 1994 requires the operators of Channel Tunnel businesses to have in place security measures to protect the travelling public and the Tunnel. Department for Transport officials have worked closely with Eurostar on security in preparation for the new station openings. Site visits have taken place to inspect security arrangements and security equipment has been upgraded. Government and industry have well rehearsed procedures for preparing for and dealing with immigration and security threats to the Channel Tunnel rail link.
	Kent police have been working with the border agencies, industry and other stakeholders over the past few years to prepare for the opening of the station. As a result, policing plans are now in place to cover both the operational requirements for the station and the rail links.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were detained as alleged illegal migrants as a result of the Border and Immigration Agency raid in Chinatown on 11 October; how many of those people were released, as legal workers; what the longest period was a detainee was held; how many  (a) remain in detention,  (b) await removal and  (c) have been removed; which countries and regions the people detained were from, broken down by country or region; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: 49 subjects were initially detained on suspicion of being immigration offenders, comprising 36 Chinese, 11 Malaysian, one Vietnamese and one Hong Kong. Four were released on the same day as they were found to be working legally and 10 Malaysian nationals have been removed. The remaining subjects are in detention awaiting removal.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) Border and Immigration Agency staff and  (b) police officers were involved in the Chinatown raid on 11 October; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: 58 Border and Immigration Agency staff and approximately 50 police officers attended the operation.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what documents restaurateurs involved in the raids by the Border and Immigration Agency on 11 October were asked to sign; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Restaurateurs were asked to sign the notification of potential liability section in the section 8 Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 Illegal Working Visit Record Book.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on the meeting attended by Border and Immigration Agency officials in Chinatown on 18 October.

Liam Byrne: Border and Immigration Agency staff attended an open meeting at the Chinese Community Centre on 18 October to listen to the concerns of the community and explain the process and objectives of the operation. As a result of this meeting a series of workshops with local employers will be held.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received on the protest in London's Chinatown which involved closure of several restaurants on 18 October; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: It was recognised that the operation could result in some community tension as the Border and Immigration Agency had not conducted visits in Chinatown for some time. The London and south-east regional community cohesion team had already engaged with the London Chinese community centre on more general agency matters, and this team revisited the community after the operation to address its concerns. We have also liaised with the Metropolitan police Chinatown community team and agreed a community impact plan.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what stage those detained on 11 October during the raid in London's Chinatown by the Border and Immigration Agency were afforded access to legal advice; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Those detained at police stations had access to the duty solicitor, if desired, following the booking-in process. It is part of police process to inform prisoners of their right to legal advice. Those held in Border and Immigration Agency accommodation had access to public telephones to contact a representative of their choice.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will meet the London Chinatown Chinese Association to discuss immigration issues.

Liam Byrne: Officials are already in contact with the London Chinatown Chinese Association and we are working with them to address a range of immigration issues including provision of workshops for local employers on the legal requirements surrounding the employment of migrant workers.

Chinese Community: Greater London

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long those detained following the raids in London's Chinatown on 11 October were held before they were given  (a) food and  (b) drink; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Prisoners at police stations were held in accordance with PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence Act) Codes of Practice and were offered refreshments in line with this act. Detainees in Border and Immigration Agency accommodation were provided with food and drinks within three hours of their arrival.

Crime Prevention: Crimes of Violence

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to issue her next policy document on the reduction of violent crime.

Vernon Coaker: We are currently working on the development of a new policy document on tackling violence, which we expect to issue within the next three months.

Departmental Freedom of Information

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of freedom of information requests granted by her Department in 2006 made a full disclosure of the information or documents requested within the statutory 20 working days.

Liam Byrne: In 2006 there were 2,868 requests for information held. The Department held information in 1,785 cases. Responses to 796 of these requests resulted in information being disclosed in full and 79 per cent. of these were responded to within the statutory 20 working days. Further information on the Department's performance can be found in the Ministry of Justice's second annual report on the operation of the FOI Act in central Government 2006. This can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/foi-annual-report-central-gov-2006.pdf
	A copy is also available in the Library.

Departmental Manpower

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Welsh speakers her Department employs.

Liam Byrne: The Home Office does not collect information about the number of Welsh speakers within the Department.

Deportation: Sudan

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment the Government has made of the safety for refugees and asylum seekers of returning them to Sudan.

Liam Byrne: We are aware of recent allegations by the Aegis Trust regarding the treatment of failed asylum seekers who have returned to Sudan. We are taking the allegations very seriously and we are investigating them thoroughly.
	On 4 October, the House of Lords heard an appeal brought by the Home Office on whether it is reasonable to return unsuccessful asylum seekers to Khartoum, where the Court of Appeal has found no risk of persecution. The judgment is expected shortly.
	There are no enforced returns of failed asylum seekers currently planned before the House of Lords judgment is expected.

Entry Clearances

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the rules on issuing travel documents to UK residents who are nationals of states without functioning agencies dealing with the issuance of passports or travel documents in the state itself or in its overseas representations.

Liam Byrne: The Border and Immigration Agency does not consider it necessary to review the rules on issuing travel documents to UK residents who are nationals of states without functioning agencies dealing with the issuance of passports or travel documents in the state itself or in its overseas representations.

Entry Clearances: Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the number of dependents accompanying A8 nationals working in the UK.

Liam Byrne: Information concerning the actual number of dependants accompanying A8 nationals is published quarterly in The Accession Monitoring Report.
	This report currently gives data from one May 2004 to 30 June 2007. The information you require is published in table five of the report, at the following link:
	http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/accession_ monitoring_report
	I will arrange for a copy of the report to be deposited in the House Libraries.

Entry Clearances: Employment

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the likely change in the number of non-EU workers given leave to enter the UK as a result of the introduction of  (a) the points-based system and  (b) the measures contained in Her Majestys Gracious Speech; and over what timescale she expects such changes to take place.

Liam Byrne: We are introducing the points-based system during 2008 and 2009 so that only those the UK needs can come to work or study. When we set the pass mark we will take advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee on where in the economy migration can sensibly fill skills gaps, and the Migration Impacts Forum on the wider impacts of migration.

Entry Clearances: Somalia

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will consider revising the rules on issuing travel documents to Somali nationals who are resident in the UK as dependants of EEA nationals.

Liam Byrne: The Border and Immigration Agency does not consider it necessary to revise the rules on issuing travel documents to Somali nationals who are resident in the UK as dependents of EEA nationals.

Freedom of Information

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many freedom of information requests her Department and its agencies received in the latest year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 her Department turned down in the last year; and for what reasons.

Liam Byrne: The information requested was published in the Ministry of Justice's second annual report on the operation of the FOI Act in central Government 2006. This can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/docs/foi-annual-report-central-gov-2006.pdf
	A copy is also available in the Library.

Immigration Controls

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which elements of the Governments points-based immigration system require further primary legislation; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 November 2007
	None. We are satisfied that existing primary legislation (including the UK Borders Act 2007) gives us all the powers we need to operate the PBS.

Immigration Controls: Asia

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the impact on  (a) Chinese and  (b) South Asia migrants of the new points-based system for migration, with particular reference to the need to recruit skilled and experienced staff.

Liam Byrne: No estimate has been made of the impact of the Points-Based System (PBS) on Chinese and South Asia Migrants. One of the key objectives of the Points-Based System is the better identifying and attracting of migrants that are of benefit to the United Kingdom, wherever they come from. Equality impact assessments will ensure there is no bias in the system. UKvisas are working through their posts in the region to communicate messages on PBS in a clear and timely fashion to ensure we do continue to attract migrants with the skills the UK needs.

Immigration Officers: Heathrow Airport

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department and the Border and Immigration Agency have made about the manpower requirements for the immigration service at Heathrow airport on the opening of Terminal 5; what plans her Department has to meet those requirements; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Staff will be allocated across the five terminals at Heathrow according to business need and a timed plan is being drawn up in line with BAA information on planned airline relocations. This will ensure that BIA staffing resources are deployed appropriately to meet passenger traffic levels across Heathrow following the opening of Terminal 5.

Immigration: Somalia

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Border and Immigration Agency about the application process which Somali nationals resident in the UK are required to undergo to obtain travel documents.

Liam Byrne: The Secretary of State has had no discussions with the Border and Immigration Agency about the application process which Somali nationals resident in the UK are required to undergo to obtain travel documents. Somali nationals are subject to the same application process as the nationals of any country which does not issue its citizens with passports in the UK.

Immobilisations of Vehicles

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what representations she has received, and from whom, on the operation of wheel clampers operating on car parks and private land; and if she will bring forward legislation in this regard;
	(2)  if she will take steps to regulate the size of the signs and warnings necessary before wheel clampers operating on car parks and private land can immobilise motor vehicles.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office receives frequent correspondence on issues relating to vehicle immobilisation on private land.
	The Home Office is considering with relevant stakeholders reviewing policy on the regulation of vehicle immobilisers. Such a review could include the issue of signage. This work is, however, at an early stage and no decision has been made. No commitment can be made to any timescales at present.
	The Department for Transport plans to issue guidance to local authorities on parking policy and enforcement in the new year and this will include guidance relating to vehicle immobilisation on public land.

Information: Airports

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors were taken into account in determining the format of the notices posted in airports for incoming passengers at the UKs borders.

Liam Byrne: As part of a communication campaign during Summer 2007 posters were placed across those ports with the highest passenger footfalls to help ensure the travelling public was aware that the UK border was being strengthened through tougher checks and that they should prepare for a longer wait to have their travel documents checked by immigration officers. The posters were displayed at various sites including passport control, arrivals and departures with a simple message of tougher checks can take longer.

Intelligence Services: Complaints

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures exist for people to make complaints to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal about alleged misconduct by the intelligence services when they have not been victims of that misconduct.

Tony McNulty: Section 65 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 provides that a person who is aggrieved by conduct believed to have taken place in relation to him, or her, or their property by or on behalf of the intelligence agencies may complain to the independent Investigatory Powers Tribunal and have that complaint determined. It is for the Tribunal to decide on any relationship between alleged conduct and complainant.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to the letter of 1 October 2007 from the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding a constituent, ref: M19658/7.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 12 November 2007
	 The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Meg Hillier) wrote to my hon. Friend on 7 November 2007.

Members: Correspondence

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to reply to the letter of 30 July from the hon. Member for Beaconsfield.

Liam Byrne: I wrote to the hon. Member on 16 August 2007.

MI5

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many files in the PF MI5 series there were; how many of these have been  (a) declassified,  (b) destroyed and  (c) designated as remaining classified; what criteria were used to designate such files as falling into each category; how many of the PF MI5 series files that remain classified relate to (i) suspected and (ii) indicted war criminals; if he will declassify such files to enable an assessment by the Metropolitan War Crimes Unit to be made with a view to grounds for prosecutions; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The available information is that the Security Service held approximately 272,000 personal files in January 2005this figure is an accumulative total covering the history of the Service and includes those files on individuals who have been subject to investigation, personnel files on members of staff and other files, for example, those who have been of assistance to the Service, but does not include those files that have been destroyed. Since 1997, the Service has destroyed approximately 114,000 personal filesthese were destroyed in accordance with agreed procedures and do not include files of historic interest. As at September 2007, the Service had declassified and released to The National Archive over 2,700 volumes of personal files.
	The Security Service will provide full assistance, including disclosure of information, in response to a police request arising from an investigation of suspected war crimes.

Offenders: Deportation

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many foreign nationals released from prisons have  (a) been handed over to authorities in their country of origin,  (b) been released into the custody of the Immigration and Border Agency,  (c) been deported and  (d) been released and allowed to remain in the United Kingdom (i) in each of the last five years and (ii) in 2007 up to the most recent time for which data are available;
	(2)  what crimes were committed by foreign prisoners who have  (a) been handed over to authorities in their country of origin,  (b) been released into the custody of the Immigration and Border Agency,  (c) been deported and  (d) been released and allowed to remain in the United Kingdom in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) 2007 to date.

Liam Byrne: The information requested can be obtained only through the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost. The Chief Executive of the Border and Immigration Agency has written regularly to the Home Affairs Committee over the past 18 months providing the most robust and accurate data relating to foreign national prisoners. Copies of this correspondence are available in the Library of the House.

Police: Arbitration

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make it her policy to accept as binding all decisions of the independent Police Arbitration Tribunal; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: As I explained in my reply to the hon. Gentlemans question on 4 October 2007, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will consider very carefully the recommendations that result from the Police Arbitration Tribunal before making her decision on the 2007 police officer pay award.

Police: Incentives

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are applied in determining bonus payments for senior police officers.

Tony McNulty: The criteria for determining bonus payments for senior police officers are determined by the Police Negotiating Board comprising representatives of the Secretaries of State, police authorities, chief police officers and the police staff associations. The criteria for determining bonus payments have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and are also available on the Police Negotiating Board Circular 2005/3 which can be viewed at the Office of Manpower Economies website at:
	http://www.ome.uk.com/downloads/05-3percent20chiefpercent 20officerspercent20bonuspercent20nationalpercent20guidance. doc

Police: Information and Communications Technology

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many police forces in England and Wales have referred cases to the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) involving passwords in each year since NTACs inception; how many cases in each year were resolved within three months; and what the average time frame was for a case to be resolved in each year;
	(2)  how many police forces in England and Wales have referred cases involving encryption to the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) in each year since NTACs inception; how many such cases were resolved within three months; and what the average time frame for such cases being resolved was in 2006-07.

David Miliband: holding answer 12 November 2007
	 I have been asked to reply.
	The number of police forces in England and Wales that have referred cases to the National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) for assistance to process lawfully obtained protected electronic information has been:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2001 10 
			 2002 20 
			 2003 22 
			 2004 23 
			 2005 18 
			 2006 21 
			 2007 (to date) 18 
		
	
	As my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) informed the House in her written ministerial statement on 31 October 2006,  Official Report, column 11WS:
	The National Technical Assistance Centre (NTAC) was formally transferred from the Home Office to Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in April 2006. As the Minister responsible for GCHQ, I now have ministerial oversight of its activities.
	It is the long-standing policy of the Government not to comment on intelligence matters including the work of the intelligence agencies.

Prisoners: Deportation

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign national prisoners were  (a) released into the community,  (b) detained on the Prison Estate pending deportation proceedings,  (c) transferred into Home Office detention and  (d) deported or removed in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested can be obtained only through the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
	The chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency has written regularly to the Home Affairs Committee over the past 18 months providing the most robust and accurate data relating to foreign national prisoners. Copies of this correspondence are available from the Library of the House.

Prisoners: Nationality

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to ascertain the  (a) nationality,  (b) residential status and  (c) right to remain in the United Kingdom of the prisoners held in England and Wales whose nationality is classified as unknown.

Liam Byrne: All cases that are referred to the Border and Immigration Agency by the Prison Service are given full and careful consideration before any action is taken. This consideration will take into account all factors pertinent to the circumstances of the individual. Border and Immigration Agency staff attend prisons in order to interview foreign national prisoners and ascertain their nationality and immigration status where required.

Stop and Search

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) training and  (b) written guidance is provided to police officers for the use of stop and search powers under (i) section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and (ii) section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 13 November 2007
	Training relating to stop and search procedures under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 is provided to all police forces through the police learning and development programme.
	In 2002-03, the Central Police Training and Development Authority (later subsumed into the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA)), developed a training package for all police forces on stop and search powers in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Code of Practice, itself updated in 2003. NPIA has continued to upgrade the programme and supporting materials in light of lessons in learning.
	Among the areas covered in the training package are the powers to stop and search under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
	Initial training in stop and search procedures is provided by all police forces as part of the PCSO training programme and the initial police learning and development programme. The training, delivered by police forces at a local level, is aimed primarily at new police sergeant and inspector ranks in the operational, performance and planning sections of the national core leadership development programme. The current legislation relating to stop and search powers features prominently within this training programme.
	Since 2006, and following much of the learning from Sir William Macpherson's Inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence, an electronic learning module on section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 has been made available to all police personnel. NPIA and the Association of Chief Police Officers has also produced 'Practice Advice on Stop and Search', which incorporates advice on stop and search procedures, as well as a bespoke piece of guidance issued this year on Section 44 anti-terrorism stops and searches.

Travel Requirements

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with which foreign governments the Government has had recent discussions on the assurance and validity of travel documents; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Officials from the Border and Immigration Agency regularly engage in dialogue with foreign government representatives when there is a need to discuss travel documentation. Visits have been made this year to several embassies and high commissions in the UK, including those of Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Estonia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago and Turkey. Discussions have also been held with the Palestine General Delegate's Office in London.
	Border and Immigration Agency Officials have also been involved this year in discussions on travel documentation in several countries, including China, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Jamaica, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.

Video Games: Crimes of Violence

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) violent attacks and  (b) murders that were judged to be linked in some way to violent video games occurred in the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not collect information on how many violent attacks and murders are judged to be linked to violent video games.

WALES

Departmental Consultations

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many responses his Department received to its consultation on the Governments draft legislative programme; and if he will publish them.

Peter Hain: The Leader of the House of Commons issued a written ministerial statement today, The Governments Draft Legislative ProgrammeTaking a wider view as a summary of the Governments first steps in taking the wider view after the publication of the Draft Legislative Programme.
	My Department received 18 responses about the Draft Legislative Programme from various organisations in Wales.

Legislation

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales of the legislation introduced by his Department since its establishment, which provisions have not been brought into force.

Peter Hain: All of the Acts of Parliament for which the Wales Office is the responsible Department have been brought into force, subject to the following exceptions.
	 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005
	Section 20 and paragraph 15 (5) of Schedule 1 have not been brought into force. The power to commence those provisions rests with the Welsh Ministers. The other substantive provisions of the Act came into force in October 2005, but some amendments and repeals were made by the Government of Wales Act 2006 with effect from May 2007.
	 Government  o f Wales Act 2006
	Sections 107, 108 and 110 to 115 (the Assembly Act provisions) have not yet come into force. The Welsh Ministers will have the power to commence those provisions in accordance with section 105 if the majority of voters in a referendum held throughout Wales vote in favour of them coming into force. The rest of the Act came into force between July 2006 and June 2007.
	 National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006
	This Act consolidated the existing law and came into force on 1 March 2007. However, where the Act re-enacts provisions in certain legislation which has not yet come into force, the re-enactment of those provisions will not take effect until the original provisions come into force.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Admiralty House

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how many days Lord Malloch-Brown has been resident in an Admiralty House flat.

Meg Munn: My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, has had residence since 1 August 2007.

Admiralty House: Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how much was spent in the ministerial flats in Admiralty House on  (a) wine and entertaining,  (b) food,  (c) flowers and plants and  (d) telephone bills in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how much his Department has paid to the Cabinet Office for Lord Malloch-Brown's residence in Admiralty House  (a) in total and  (b) to cover the cost of (i) rent, (ii) security, (iii) utilities, (iv) facilities management and (v) general maintenance.

Meg Munn: Details of payments made in 2007-08 will be available when the Department's resource accounts are fully audited and laid before Parliament.

Burma: Sanctions

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which relevant bodies are charged with elaborating further restrictive measures against Burma, including a ban on new investments, as set out in the 15 October statement by EU Foreign Ministers.

David Miliband: holding answer 14 November 2007
	EU member states will elaborate further restrictive measures against Burma in the relevant council working parties, on the basis of a report by EU heads of missions in Rangoon requested by the presidency.

Cyprus: Currencies

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what currency will circulate in the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus when Cyprus joins the euro in July 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	In appendix O to the Treaty establishing the Republic of Cyprus the UK Government agreed that the currency of the Republic will be legal tender in the Sovereign Base Areas. Since 1960 the Sovereign Base Areas, including a large number of Cypriot citizens as well as the British military personnel who reside there, have used the Cyprus pound. The Republic of Cyprus will replace the Cyprus pound with the euro from 1 January 2008. At the same time the Sovereign Base Areas will also adopt the euro as legal tender. The use of a currency in the Sovereign Base Areas other than that circulating in the Republic of Cyprus would be impractical, and would run counter to our 1960 commitments.

Departmental NDPBs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) budget and  (b) remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; who the chairman is of each; and to what salary, including bonuses and expenses, each chairman is entitled.

Meg Munn: The following are the budgets and remit of each of the non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO); who the chairman is of each; and to what salary, including bonuses and expenses, each chairman is entitled.
	 The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission
	The Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission is the NDPB responsible for administering the Marshall Scholarship Scheme. The FCO funds this scheme almost entirely and is contributing £2.2 million this financial year.
	Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the UK. Scholars are selected each year to study either at graduate or occasionally undergraduate level at an UK institution in any field of study. Each scholarship is held for two years. As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their Governments and their institutions. The current chairman is Dr. Frances Dow. The role of chairman is unpaid, but she is entitled to claim travel expenses only.
	 The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine (GHACPW)
	The Government Hospitality Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine (GHACPW) has no budget and its operating costs are met by Government Hospitality, Protocol Directorate. The remit of the Committee, as defined in its Terms of Reference, is
	to advise the Minister responsible for Government Hospitality on the maintenance of an appropriate standard of wine for use at Government functions. This entails advice, after tasting, on the purchase of wine, the exchange of wine if necessary, and the stocking of the Government Hospitality Cellar at Lancaster House.
	The GHACPW chairman is Sir David Wright GCMG LVO. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses to attend each of the four meetings per year.
	 BBC World Service (BBCWS)
	The FCO will provide grant in aid of £239.5 million to the BBCWS in financial year 2007-08. BBCWS remit is to provide independent news and information to audiences around the world. Sir Michael Lyon is chairman of the BBC Trust. His salary, which is not funded by the FCO, is £140,000 per annum. Sir Michael was appointed on 1 May 2007 so no expenses were incurred last financial year. Out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred while on BBCWS business are reimbursed. Bonuses are not paid.
	 Wilton Park Advisory Council (WPAC)
	WPAC has no budget. WPACs main responsibilities are to ensure that Wilton Park activities meet the highest academic standards and that it maintains its reputation as a centre of excellence. It also gives advice concerning the selection of conference themes, speakers and participants. The current chairman of WPAC is Dr. Farhan Nizami (from the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies). The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses for attendance at the bi-annual meetings.
	 The British Council
	In 2007-08 the British Councils grant in aid budget from the FCO was £192,803,000. The purpose of the British Council is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UKs creative ideas and achievements. The chairman of the British Council is my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Kinnock. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim out-of-pocket expenses necessarily incurred while on British Council business.
	 The Great Britain China Centre (GBCC)
	The Great Britain China Centre (GBCC) receives a grant in aid of £300,000 from the FCO, which is drawn down quarterly. The remit of the GBCC is to promote closer economic, professional, cultural, and academic relations between Britain and China; and to encourage mutual knowledge and understanding. The chairman of the GBCC is Mr. Peter Batey, OBE. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses only.
	 The Foreign Compensation Commission (FCC)
	The Foreign Compensation Commission (FCC) is an independent tribunal formed by an Act of Parliament in the 1960s. The FCC has a budget of £52,000 per annum. However, last year this budget was underspent by £12,000, and this year it is expected to be underspent by £15,000. In both cases the money has been returned to central FCO funds before the mid point of the year. The FCC remit is to administer and pay out compensation to UK citizens who have had property expropriated by a foreign state. It takes action following an FCO-negotiated settlement with an expropriating state. In such instances, the Government normally agrees a lump sum settlement with the relevant state. It is the responsibility of the FCC to fairly distribute this lump sum between the various UK claimants, who could number in the thousands. The chairman of the FCC is Dr. John Barker. Dr. Barker works part time a few days a month. His fees are £469 per day. His total fees for the year are budgeted at £25,000.
	 The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD)
	The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) is a NDPB set up by the FCO in 1992. The WFD is funded primarily by an annual grant-in-aid from the FCO (£4.1 million for financial year 2006-07); it seeks further financial support from the private sector and other funding organisations. Its aim is to help establish and strengthen pluralist democratic institutions, particularly political parties, in countries where they are absent, of recent foundation, or in need of further encouragement and development. My hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, West (Mr. Bailey) has been chairman of the WFD since August 2005. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel and subsistence expenses incurred.
	 The Diplomatic Service Appeal Board (DSAB)
	The Diplomatic Service Appeal Board (DSAB) is an advisory NDPB. The DSAB has no operating budget. The DSABs main purpose is to advise my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary whether premature retirement or termination of an appointment on grounds of failed probation, or dismissal on any grounds is fair. The boards function is to satisfy itself that management has acted responsibly and fairly. The chair is Philippa Drew. The role of chairman is unpaid. All members get a daily fee of £360, plus travel and subsistence costs, for work undertaken on behalf of the board. The board meets infrequently, at most once or twice a year.
	 The British Association for Central and Eastern Europe (BACEE)
	The British Association for Central and Eastern Europe (BACEE). The budget from the FCO is £100,000 for this financial year, however this will be the last year the BACEE will receive Government funding. BACEE exists to promote a closer understanding between the British people and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and to support them in developing democratic systems and civil society. Their main activity is organising seminars and study visits. These have covered parliamentary elections, the judicial system, the media, anti-corruption, banking, local government, and penal reform. The chairman is my noble Friend the right hon. Lord Radice. The role of chairman is unpaid, but he is entitled to claim travel expenses only, this has never been done.

Departmental Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department  (a) were disciplined and  (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last five years.

Meg Munn: The figures relating to numbers of staff disciplined and dismissed specifically as a result of a poor sick record in the last five years are available only at disproportionate cost.

Diego Garcia: Ilois

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates UK Government  (a) officials and  (b) Ministers held discussions with the US Administration on new arrangements for Chagos Islanders to work on two-year contracts on Diego Garcia; and when these new arrangements came into effect.

Meg Munn: There are no new arrangements. Chagossians have been able to apply for jobs on the US facility on Diego Garciasome have worked there over the past decades, three Chagossians were employed there last year.
	Officials annually remind the government of the United States of its obligation under the 1966 Exchange of Notes that it and its contractors agreed to make use of workers from Mauritius and Seychelles to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with United States policies, requirements and schedules. This was last reviewed during the 2007 US/UK political military talks held in Washington on 12 and 13 September. Ministers have not raised this issue recently with the US administration.

Diego Garcia: Ilois

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Chagos Island contract community members are eligible to apply for work on Diego Garcia; and what regulations will apply to such workers.

Meg Munn: Any Chagossian can apply for work on Diego Garcia advertised by the US contractor, DG21.
	Under our 1966 Exchange of Notes with the government of the United States, the United States government and contractors agreed to make use of workers from Mauritius to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with United States policies, requirements and schedules.
	In November 2007, DG21's programme director visited Mauritius and had meetings with Chagossian leaders in which he outlined further job opportunities for Chagossians on Diego Garcia. He made clear that recruitment was on merit.

EU Treaties: Reform

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on EU plans to run publicity and PR campaigns in the UK explaining the contents of the Treaty of Lisbon; and what the Governments position is on such plans.

Jim Murphy: The European Commission has no plans to run publicity and public relations campaigns in the UK explaining the contents of the treaty of Lisbon.

European General Affairs and External Relations Council: Voting

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many votes took place at the European General Affairs and External Relations Council in each of the last 12 months; how many times the British Government  (a) applied a veto,  (b) voted negatively and  (c) abstained in such votes in each month; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The latest twelve month period for which definitive figures are available from the Council Secretariat runs to May 2007. During that period the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council voted to adopt 86 acts. The breakdown by month is as follows.
	 2006
	June10
	July/August7
	September7
	October9
	November7
	December9
	 2007
	January7
	February9
	March6
	April10
	May5
	The UK voted against on only one occasion (a Council Regulation imposing an anti-dumping duty on imports of ironing boards originating in the Peoples Republic of China and Ukraine) in April 2007. The UK did not veto or abstain on any votes.

European Union: Offices

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the projected share of the costs to the UK is of the expansion of EU office space in Brussels.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 14 November 2007
	The European Commission is expanding office space in response to the increase in staff required due to the accession of 10 new member states in 2004 and Romania and Bulgaria in 2007.
	The EU budget, to which all member states contribute, bears the cost of purchasing and renting EU office buildings. This is one of the main components of the EU's administrative expenditure. The UK's share of financing of the 2007 EU budget, after taking into account of the UK abatement, is 12.5 per cent. a smaller share than Germany, France or Italy.
	The European Commission has reformed the tendering process to increase transparency. The process is still ongoing and consequently the total price of expansion of EU office space in Brussels is not yet known. The Government welcome the increased transparency and will continue to expect and encourage all EU institutions to provide value for money.

Iran: Sanctions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the request of the French government for stronger sanctions against Iran; and whether any proposed sanction will include the relevant activities of the Total Oil Company.

Kim Howells: The Government are fully committed to stronger measures against Iran, to persuade the Iranian government to change its nuclear policy. We are working closely at all levels with the French government, who share our views on the need to increase the pressure on Iran. EU Foreign Ministers agreed at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) on 15 October that the EU would consider what further measures it should take, and we will be pressing for a decision to implement appropriate further measures at the December GAERC, following discussion in the relevant EU working groups. The Government, together with our E3+3 partners (China, France, Germany, Russia and the US), are committed to putting a new sanctions resolution to a vote at the UN unless reports this month from Dr. Solana and Dr. El Baradei both show a positive outcome. Sanctions adopted at the UN or the EU will apply to the companies of all member states.

Iraq: Departmental Coordination

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the adequacy of cooperation between Government departments involved in offering assistance to Iraqi staff who are working for, and who have worked for, the Government; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 14 November 2007
	There has been good co-operation across Whitehall. I have chaired several meetings on the issue. Officials have met regularly under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Office.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been paid to private military and security companies in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan to protect British Government personnel and infrastructure in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Iraq  
			 2003/04 21,800,000 
			 2004/05 52,200,000 
			 2005/06 47,800,000 
			 2006/07 30,400,000 
			 2007/08 27,400,000 
			  Afghanistan  
			 2004 4,850,000 
			 2005 5,430,000 
			 2006 16,430,000 
			 2007 19,780,000 
		
	
	The information above covers contracts put in place by the Government with private security companies, and reflects in the main the contract values concerned and not the actual spend. These include Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development and other Government contracts.

Iraq: Resettlement

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Iraqi nationals meet the eligibility criteria for ex gratia assistance and either work or have worked in Iraq as  (a) direct employees of the UK armed forces or the Ministry of Defence,  (b) on letters of appointment from the British embassy in Baghdad or the British embassy offices in Basra and the Kurdistan Region and  (c) as direct employees of the Department for International Development or the British Council.

David Miliband: holding answer 14 November 2007
	There are about 280 Iraqi nationals working for the Government eligible for ex-gratia assistance. We estimate between four and five hundred former employees will meet the criteria.

Iraq: Resettlement

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures have been put in place to ensure that those Iraqi contracted staff who meet the criteria for ex gratia assistance are fully informed about the assistance available to them.

David Miliband: holding answer 14 November 2007
	We have held meetings with serving locally engaged Iraqi staff to inform them of my written ministerial statements of 9 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 27-28WS and 30 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 30-33WS and to hear their views. Details have also been published on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence websites. We will continue to work to ensure that former staff who meet the eligibility criteria have the best possible chance of hearing about the scheme.

Irian Jaya: Torture

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what reports he has received on allegations of torture in West Papuan prisons;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the Indonesian Government on self-determination for West Papua; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Free West Papua Campaign; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of allegations of ill treatment in prisons. Our embassy in Jakarta regularly discusses human rights issues, including Papua, with the Indonesian Government. Manfred Novak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture is currently visiting Indonesia and we will carefully consider the resulting findings and recommendations.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed Papua with the Indonesian Government. However, I met the Governor of Papua, Barnabus Suebo, when he visited London on 25 October. We discussed the situation in Papua, including human rights and the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law.
	We are in contact with the Free West Papua Campaign and encourage dialogue between them and the Government of Indonesia. Officials at our embassy in Jakarta visit Papua regularly and meet local officials, academics, journalists and non-governmental organisations. We believe that the best way to resolve the issues in Papua is through promoting peaceful dialogue between Papuan groups and the Indonesian Government.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he and  (b) the Prime Minister have had with Mr Blair since his appointment as the Quartets Middle East Envoy; on what dates these discussions took place; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I are in contact with the right hon. Tony Blair, the Quartet Representative, and discuss a wide range of issues concerning the Middle East.

Slovenia: EU Presidency

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Slovenian counterpart on Slovenia's EU presidency in the first half of 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have regular discussions with their Slovenian counterparts and I recently visited Ljubljana where I met with the Slovenian Minister for Europe, Janez Lenarcic. The UK looks forward to working with the Slovenian presidency in 2008 to help deliver the issues that matter to Europe's citizens: growth and jobs, tackling climate change and fighting terrorism.

Uzbekistan: Human Rights

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of progress in reducing the use of torture by official agencies in Uzbekistan since the report on that country by the UN special rapporteur on torture in 2002.

Jim Murphy: Uzbekistan remains the only country in Central Asia to have invited and hosted the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Following his visit in 2002, the then UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Theo van Boven, made 22 key recommendations in his report. The Uzbek authorities say they have fulfilled these. The current UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Manfred Nowak, has been unable to visit Uzbekistan to study implementation. He told the UN Human Rights Council in 2006 that
	the very fact that torture is still practised systematically (in Uzbekistan) is the best proof that the recommendations have not been implemented.
	The Uzbek authorities point to national legislation that prohibits illegal torture. Two Interior Ministry officials were convicted of torture in April 2007, but the numbers of allegations far outweigh the cases investigated and brought to trial.
	The criminal justice system still convicts on the basis of confessions, with scant corroborating evidence, and thus encourages coercion. Anecdotal evidence suggests that judges continue to overlook allegations of torture made during trials. This suggests a lack of substantial progress to reduce the practice of torture. We continue to receive regular allegations of torture from victims, their relatives and human rights defenders. We have concluded, therefore, that torture and other forms of ill treatment are routine, particularly in the early stages of custody. We welcome the reforms to the criminal justice system that the Uzbek Government will introduce from 1 January 2008 to abolish the death penalty and implement a form of  habeas corpus. The latter step is particularly key to combating torture.

Uzbekistan: Human Rights

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Uzbekistan Government on its observance of human rights and the use of torture; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We work bilaterally, as well as with the EU and international organisations such as the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, to ensure improved respect for human rights in Uzbekistan. The issue of torture continues to form part of our dialogue on human rights with the Uzbek authorities. We regularly raise allegations of human rights abuses. We have made repeated representations and statements on the detention, harassment and trials of human rights defenders and opposition figures in Uzbekistan. The Foreign and Commonwealth Offices Annual Human Rights Report details our concerns.
	Our embassy in Tashkent has funded the participation of an Uzbek human rights non-governmental organisation at the UN Committee Against Torture current session (5-23 November) which is assessing the extent to which Uzbekistan is implementing its obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture.
	During the EU-Uzbekistan Human Rights Dialogue in May 2007, the EU expressed its concern at persistent reports that torture continues to be widespread.

Western Sahara: Politics and Government

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how much the UK Government have given to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara;
	(2)  if he will make representations to Morocco on its obligations as an occupying power to provide for the protection and welfare of the West Saharan population;
	(3)  what representations he has made to the UN on ensuring a referendum on the Western Sahara is carried out.

Kim Howells: The UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1783 on 31 October, which renewed the mandate of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) until 30 April 2008. Since 1991, the Government have made assessed contributions of £21.8 million for the maintenance of MINURSO.
	The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and his Personal Envoy, Peter van Walsum. UK officials play an active role at the UN in New York in discussions on Western Sahara. This includes the negotiation and adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1783. The Resolution also
	calls upon the parties to continue negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General without preconditions and in good faith, taking into account the efforts made since 2006 and developments of the last months, with a view to achieving a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
	The UK raises the issue of Western Sahara on a regular basis with the parties, including wider issues of welfare and security. I raised the issue of Western Sahara and the ongoing negotiations process when I spoke to the Moroccan Foreign Minister, Taib Fassi Firhi on 25 October. The UK has encouraged the parties to continue negotiations under UN auspices, as set out in UN Security Council Resolutions 1754 and 1783.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Overseas Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what proportion of his Departments projects in Africa are categorised as high-risk.

Gareth Thomas: The following information on the risk profile of projects in Africa was gathered on 1 October 2007:
	
		
			   Total 
			 Number of projects 809 
			 Value of projects (£ million) 3,865 
			 High risk 110 
			 High risk (£ million) 1,026 
		
	
	The proportion of projects classified as high risk is 13 per cent.; or 27 per cent. when taken as a proportion of the commitment value.
	The methodology used to rate the level of risk of projects involves an assessment of both the probability of risk factors occurring and the severity of their impact. High risk projects are those where probability of these risk factors occurring is rated high and their impact medium or high, or where probability is rated medium and impact high.

Departmental Consultations

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many consultants his Department employed in each of the last five years; and what this figure is as a percentage of the staff employed by the Department in each of those years.

Douglas Alexander: The number of consultants engaged centrally by DFID in each of the last five years is shown in the following table. This includes both self-employed individuals and contracts with companies under which significant numbers of people are utilised.
	
		
			  Financial year  Number of consultants 
			 2002-03 407 
			 2003-04 349 
			 2004-05 310 
			 2005-06 336 
			 2006-07 273 
		
	
	The majority of consultants are engaged by DFID on behalf of development partners to help them deliver long-term development projects to help reduce poverty. Overall comparison between the number of individual consultants allocated to DFID's work for limited periods of time and DFID's overall staffing complement could not be established without incurring disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which of his Departments budget headings he expects to make the savings of £414 million announced in the Comprehensive Saving Review.

Douglas Alexander: DFIDlike all other Government Departmentshas agreed to make value for money savings of at least 3 per cent. annual net cash releasing gains on our total departmental budget and 5 per cent. annual real reductions in our administration budgets by 2010-11. Savings of 3 per cent. equates to £492 million. In addition to portfolio quality improvements of £66 million and administrative cost savings of £12 million we are committed to savings of £414 million which are broken down over two categories. Bilateral allocative efficiency savings of £257 million were identified alongside multilateral allocative efficiency savings of £157 million. These figures remain indicative and are subject to finalisation in the VFM delivery agreement which DFID is due to publish in December.
	The savings will be realised through changes in the allocation of funds across country programmes and multilateral institutions. As in the 2004 spending review, the methodology for assessing gains achieved by more poverty-focused allocation is based on econometric studies by Paul Collier and David Dollar showing that the impact of aid varies with countries per capita income and policy environment.

Departmental Manpower

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether headcount restraints on the number of staff in his Department have been applied in the last five years.

Douglas Alexander: In September 2004, following the publication of the Gershon efficiency review, DFID agreed a headcount trajectory with HM Treasury that would see the numbers of Home Civil Service (HCS) staff reduce from 1,907 in March 2004 to 1,610 by March 2008.

Departmental NDPBs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) budget and  (b) remit is of each non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department; who the chairman is of each; and to what salary, including bonuses and expenses, each chairman is entitled.

Gareth Thomas: DFID sponsors two non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). These are the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (CSC) and the Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board (CAHRB). It is also the sponsor department for the CDC Group plc. a public corporation. Details of budget, remit, board membership and board remuneration for each of these bodies are available in the annual reports of CDC and CAHRB and the website of CSC at the links as follows:
	http://www.cscuk.org.uk/
	http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/06-07/0607678. pdf
	http://www.cdcgroup.com/files/Report/UploadlReport/CDC_ AnnRepAcc_2006_web.pdf

Departmental Standards

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has met its achievement targets in each of the last five years.

Douglas Alexander: The key achievements for the Department over the last five years are set out in the public service agreements (PSAs) which cover the periods 2001-04, 2003-06 and 2005-08. A detailed assessment of progress against all targets is contained in both the departmental report and the autumn performance report which are published each year. The latest assessment of performance which was published in the 2007 annual report contained a full record of progress against the PSAs for both 2003-06 and 2005-08.

Departments: Official Hospitality

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will break down the figures referred to in the answer of 23 October 2007,  Official Report, column 223W, on Departments: official hospitality, to provide the amount spent on each function at which hospitality expenses were incurred.

Gareth Thomas: The total spend on entertainment within administration cost budgets in the last 12 months was £245,500. This represents 0.1 per cent. of the administration budget and 0.005 per cent. of the total net resource provision based on the current year estimates for 2007-08. This figure includes working breakfasts and lunches, refreshments at meetings and official entertainment.
	It is not possible to break down our costs for official hospitality to provide the amounts spent on each function, without incurring a disproportionate cost.
	All entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in Government Accounting.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of climate change on people in developing countries;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of those developing countries that are at risk from the effects of climate change; which of those countries he considers to be most at risk; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recently launched its fourth assessment report, to which the UK provides financial and scientific support. This concludes that the countries most at risk from climate change are those in the seven mega-deltas in Asia, semi-arid areas of Africa and low-lying coastal urban areas, as well as small-island developing states.
	The IPCC also assesses the effects of climate change on people in developing countries. Of greatest concern are predictions of reduced rainfall in already dry areas, leading to a shorter growing season for farmers. Elsewhere declining glacier cover will affect freshwater availability for more than one-sixth of the world's population.
	DFID has undertaken its own climate risk assessments in Bangladesh, China, India, and Kenya. One conclusion is that the early effects of climate change are extremes of drought and rainfall. These are having a direct impact on low-income farmers, and putting people at greater risk from floods and tropical cyclones. DFID is providing £24 million of research funding to the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa programme to better understand these impacts. DFID is also working with the World Bank on producing an index of climate vulnerability.

Developing Countries: Genetically Modified Organisms

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy not to support projects which involve Terminator seed technology; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the potential effects of Terminator seed technology on food security and the livelihoods of poor farmers in developing countries.

Gareth Thomas: DFID takes genetic modification (GM) in crops and foods and its potential impacts on poor people in developing countries very seriously.
	On terminator technology (Genetic Use Restriction Technology or GURTs) the 190 countries which have signed up to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD) decided in 2000 that products incorporating GURTs should not be approved for field testing or commercial use until appropriate scientific assessments have been carried out and the conditions for their safe and beneficial use validated. This decision was reaffirmed in 2006 and remains in force. The 2006 decision also called for respect of farmers' rights to seed preservation and for further research on the impacts of GURTs.
	DFID adheres to the moratorium and has not therefore commissioned any recent research, nor has DFID conducted any reviews or evaluations of the potential effects of Terminator seed technology on food security and on the livelihoods of poor farmers in developing countries.

Overseas Aid: Accountancy

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons he decided to transfer overseas costs from the administration resource budget to the programme budget.

Douglas Alexander: Costs of programme delivery staff (not including support staff) overseas have been transferred to programme budgets in the comprehensive spending review (CSR) period because DFID and HM Treasury have agreed that they should be regarded as front-line service costs. Under the Treasurys Consolidated Budgeting Guidance (paragraph 4.3) such costs are included in programme rather than administration budgets.

Reconstruction

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether an assessment has been made of the merits of provincial reconstruction teams.

Gareth Thomas: A number of assessments have been made of the merits of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). These include a USAID report: Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan: An Interagency Assessment (June 2006) and a United States Institute of Peace report: The US Experience of PRTs in Afghanistan (Oct 2005). Also in 2005 DFID funded a Kings College review of DFID involvement in PRTs in Afghanistan. The UK assesses the merits of work performed by the UK-led PRT in Helmand, Afghanistan on a regular basis.
	PRTs vary in size and composition, and operate differently depending on the security situation. The UK has spent some £8 million implementing over 170 Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) through the PRT in Helmand since July 2006. These projects support the Government of Afghanistan in response to identified local needs, and have supported our efforts in the areas of security, governance, social and economic development, and counter-narcotics.

Sierra Leone: Overseas Aid

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial aid was given to Sierra Leone in  (a) 2002 and  (b) each subsequent year.

Gareth Thomas: Information on UK aid to Sierra Leone is available in the DFID publication Statistics on International Development 2007. This publication is available online at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk.
	Relevant figures are reproduced in the table as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: UK Total gross public expenditure and financial aid 2002-03 to 2006-07, (£ thousand) 
			  £000 
			   Total bilateral gross public expenditure (GPEX) to Sierra Leone  Of which:  Financial aid to Sierra Leone 
			 2002-03 32,190 11,566 
			 2003-04 34,280 13,419 
			 2004-05 27,431 13,408 
			 2005-06 34,208 16,741 
			 2006-07 37,696 13,287 
		
	
	The non-financial aid element of GPEX is made up of technical assistance, humanitarian assistance, debt relief, other DFID bilateral aid and aid from other official UK sources. The imputed share of UK multilateral Official Development Assistance between 2001 and 2005 can be seen in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 2: Imputed UK Share of Multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) 2001-05 
			   Sierra Leone  (£000) 
			 2001 12,030 
			 2002 4,294 
			 2003 6,849 
			 2004 9,120 
			 2005 11,736

St. Helena: Airports

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to be able to announce a decision on the construction of an airport on the Island of St Helena; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The deadline for receipt of tenders for the St. Helena airport contract is 30 November 2007. I expect to reach a decision within the second quarter of 2008.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Housing: Waiting Lists

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were registered on council housing waiting lists in each local authority on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, West and Royton (Mr. Meacher) on 13 November 2007,  Official Report, column 116W.

Departments: Disabled Access

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 30 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1159W, which two buildings occupied by her Department are not fully accessible to disabled people; and how many people work in each.

Parmjit Dhanda: The two buildings not fully accessible to disabled people are Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London which at this time accommodates approximately 775 people and 2 Victoria Street, Glossop which has an occupation of five.

Disabled Facilities Grant

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if she will take steps to implement the proposal that disabled facilities grants should be available to improve access to back gardens and other outside areas;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the potential cost to  (a) central government and  (b) local government of rebranding the disabled facilities grant as accessible homes grant.

Iain Wright: On 13 August 2007 my Department published a summary of responses to the disabled facilities grant (DFG) consultation on the Government's proposal to improve programme delivery.
	(http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/disabled-prgramme).
	We are currently working on a package of changes to improve the programme and help raise the quality of support provided through DFG, to be announced later this year.

Disabled Facilities Grant

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to make a statement on the level of disabled facilities grant funding available for 2008-09.

Iain Wright: The Department intends to announce the 2008-09 disabled facilities grant allocations in early 2008.

Housing: Low Incomes

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many socially rented houses the Government is proposing to build in each year to 2020.

Iain Wright: holding answer 13 November 2007
	We announced in the Housing Green Paper an increase of new affordable housing to at least 70,000 per annum by 2010-11. Of these, 45,000 homes per annum will be for social rent, with a goal to go further in subsequent years to 50,000 new homes for social rent per annum in the next spending review period.

Housing: Overcrowding

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  if she will place in the Library copies of responses to the discussion paper on updating standards relating to overcrowded housing;
	(2)  who has responded to the discussion paper on updating standards relating to overcrowded housing.

Iain Wright: The Department received substantive responses from 42 local authorities, 30 other stakeholder organisations and three individuals. I have placed copies of the responses received in the Library of the House.

Local Government: Manpower

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials are assisting the Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber in her duties; at what cost to the public purse; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 24 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 378-9W.

Planning: West Northamptonshire Development Corporation

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what scrutiny her Department has undertaken of planning decisions made by West Northamptonshire Development Corporation in the last 12 months; and what the results of that scrutiny were.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Secretary of State determines a small number of planning applications each year under call in and recovered appeal procedures. There have been no such cases involving a decision by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation since its development control powers came into effect in April 2006.
	Six appeals involving refusal to grant planning permission by the corporation in the period since April 2006 have been determined by Inspectors appointed by the Secretary of State. Details can be provided on request.

Regional Planning and Development: South East Region

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for ratification of the South East Regional Spatial Strategy; and what plans there are for subsequent reviews of it.

Parmjit Dhanda: Consultation on the Secretary of States Proposed Changes for the draft Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the South East (The South East Plan) is likely to take place early in 2008, followed by publication of the final RSS later that year.
	The Independent Panel that conducted the Examination in Public of the draft RSS has made recommendations regarding reviews of several parts of the Strategy. Those recommendations are currently being considered, and any reviews will be identified as part of the Secretary of States Proposed Changes.

Transport: Yorkshire and Humberside

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings the Regional Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber has had on funding for transport infrastructure in Yorkshire and the Humber since her appointment; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: My hon. Friend the Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber has engaged with a number of stakeholders and partners in the region, including the regional development agency, Members of this House and from local government, on a wide range of issues, including funding for transport infrastructure.

Travelling People

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to review legislation on itinerant travellers.

Iain Wright: The Governments Task Group on Site Provision and Enforcement has reviewed the operation of powers for dealing with unauthorised encampments (where Gypsies and Travellers camp on land they do not own) and taken evidence from local authorities and others. The group concluded in its interim report that, rather than making changes to these powers, help should be provided to ensure they are used more effectively. We will be working with the Local Government Association and Improvement and Development Association to achieve this.

Travelling People

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what legislation is in place to protect owners of land against illegal encampment by itinerant travellers; what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of that legislation; and whether she has had recent discussions with her counterpart in the Northern Ireland Assembly on this matter.

Iain Wright: There are a range of powers available to landowners, local authorities and the police to deal with unauthorised encampments, including common law powers, Part 55 Civil Procedures Rules, and sections 61-62, 62A-E and 77-78 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
	Our Task Group on Site Provision and Enforcement has reviewed the operation of enforcement powers and taken evidence from local authorities and others. The Group concluded in its interim report that, rather than making changes to these powers, help should be provided to ensure they are used more effectively. We will be working with the Local Government Association and Improvement and Development Association to achieve this.
	No recent discussions have taken place with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Assembly on this issue.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has given to  (a) regional planning bodies and  (b) local authorities on planning for more traveller sites.

Iain Wright: The Governments statutory and policy framework on the provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites is set out in circular ODPM 1/06 Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Sites, published in February 2006. This is accompanied by guidance on Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments (final version published October 2007).
	The Department has also provided guidance to  (a) Regional Planning Bodies Preparing Regional Spatial Strategy reviews on Gypsies and Travellers by regional planning bodies, which proposes a methodology for identifying pitch requirement at regional level based on Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessments; and draft guidance to  (b) local authorities on Gypsy and Traveller site design and management.
	These publications can all be found on the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk.

Travelling People: Caravan Sites

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria her Department uses to assess whether a local authority is required to plan to establish more authorised traveller sites.

Iain Wright: The Housing Act 2004 requires all local housing authorities to carry out an assessment of the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers residing in or resorting to their district as they are required to assess the accommodation needs of all citizens in its area. Regional Assemblies will consider the results of these assessments in setting out in Regional Spatial Strategies the number of pitches that must be provided in each local planning authority area.

Travelling People: Ireland

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of recent changes in factors affecting the number of itinerant travellers coming to Britain from Ireland.

Iain Wright: A common travel area is in place between the United Kingdom and Ireland, and therefore no record is kept of the movement of particular ethnic groups between the two countries.
	Communities and Local Government publish data twice yearly on the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans in England. Recent data do not indicate any unexpected or unexplained increases in the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans.